Another Day Off
by bluegirl-783
Summary: The Queen had her day off, now it's Joseph's turn... being the Queen's Head of Security can often be quite stressful...
1. Part One

_A/N: Here's the sequel… hopefully it will work out!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

There was an atmosphere in the palace.

An atmosphere that wasn't particularly happy or full of busy, bustling people going around, minding their own business- instead, the palace was full of tension, anger, angst and stress and everyone was aware of it.

The Queen was aware of it.

Charlotte and the Queen's personal staff were aware of it.

The palace staff were aware of it.

The security team were aware of it- and it was affecting the running of the palace, although no one had dared to address the source or the cause of the emotions running through the palace, although they would have to soon, before people outside the palace (particularly members of parliament) became aware of the tension and began questioning the effectiveness of the Queen in running the country- _if she couldn't even keep her own palace staff under control, how on earth could she handle a country competently,_ was one of the questions that would be asked and they all knew it.

However, the cause of the source wasn't coming from the Queen (although it would perfectly understandable if she was stressed, considering that they had just come off the Christmas and New Year's celebrations, as well as two previous busy months of dinners, travel, public duties and paperwork) - the day at the beach in October had been incredibly therapeutic for her and she was still enjoying the after effects of that….

So… if wasn't the Queen that was the source of the tension in the palace, who was it?

Joseph hadn't had the greatest couple of months since October- of course, the months had been busy with Her Majesty's already overcrowded schedule as well as the associated celebrations with Christmas and New Year's Eve, and he had been able to handle those with ease, but there had been other problems that had sprung up during those months of busyness, that had made Joseph's life literally a living nightmare…..

The security team in particular weren't looking forward to their weekly staff meeting this morning- he had had been a bad mood for quite a while now and they weren't looking forward to facing their boss again, although he had quite a few justifiable reasons for being in such a black mood….

000

They had had a temporary intern during those busy months- it had been Scott's idea, he knew a Pyrus University student who was interested in security- and while he had worked well in the team, had asked plenty of questions and had demonstrated enthusiasm and passion towards his work (almost too much so, Scott had muttered on more than one occasion) but there had been several issues that had caused Joseph to wonder about whether they really should have an internship at the palace, being so _close_ to the palace; and to question his and Shades' own ability and what they were thinking when they had agreed to host this intern.

The first instance was when he, going around with Joseph when he was guarding the Queen on an official visit outside the palace, had gone far too close to the Queen- so close that he had almost touched her but Joseph and his offsider had pulled on his shirt and jerked him back into his proper place.

" _What are you doing?" Joseph had hissed angrily as the Queen continued on her way- she, thankfully, didn't seem too bothered by what had happened._

" _I… I'm sorry, sir- I just thought that that guy was getting too close to Her Majesty and I wanted to prevent him from touching her."  
_

 _"That's not your job… and 'that guy' as you were referring to, was the Prime Minister."_

" _Oh."_

" _Everything alright?" Her Majesty had queried in a quiet voice as she had passed him to climb into the car- he had been holding the door open for her, the 'intern' had already been sent back to the palace in disgrace, he was already considering his lecture to him._

" _Fine, Your Majesty, just fine," he said with a grim smile._

However, the failure to identify the Prime Minister and stepping closer than necessary to the Queen had paled into comparison when, only days prior to Christmas, something almost catastrophic had occurred that had put the Queen's safety into question….

" _What else is on the Queen's schedule for today?" Joseph sat back in his chair and glanced around the room at his staff- the day had already begun and Her Majesty was on her way to a meeting of parliament after the opening of a new wing of the Pyrus hospital, and while he usually went to those, he had opted to stay this time as he had wanted to make sure that everything was running smoothly here._

" _Once she gets back from parliament, she is due to have a meeting with Sebastian and then she's having dinner with the ambassador," one of his men said, consulting the daily information sheet that they received from Charlotte._

" _Good…so she'll be remaining at the palace for the rest of the day," Joseph said in satisfaction. "Right, so now we'll get onto the budget…."_

 _Just then, the door to the security hub opened and in stepped 'the intern' (Joseph had failed to remember his name, although he knew it was something like Max, Jeremy or James). Joseph didn't register him for a moment and then he looked up._

" _Her Majesty is back from her hospital visit?" he inquired mildly as the Intern sank into a chair at the furthest end of the table._

" _No, she left about half an hour ago… I just got back from a patrol in the palace grounds."  
_

 _"What were you doing that for? I thought I assigned you to go with Her Majesty and Scott to the hospital."  
_

 _"I didn't hear anything about that…."before he trailed off as he saw Joseph's expression._

" _So, you DIDN'T go with Scott to the hospital?" He glanced around the room at the other men. "Who DID go with Scott?"_

 _There was usually at least three men going with Her Majesty on any public outings, but this time Her Majesty insisted that two men would be fine, especially since she would be going straight to parliament afterwards… except, Joseph slowly grasped the meaning of what had just happened._

" _Are we saying…" he began slowly as the other men began to look down at their hands and the Intern began looking uncomfortable, as if realising what he had accidentally one. "Are we saying that_ _ **HER MAJESTY**_ _has only been accompanied by one security guard?"  
_

 _"I'd say so, sir," the Intern said finally, seeing that no one else was going to answer and Joseph glared down the table at him._

" _Now is NOT the time to be flip, Jeremy!"  
_

 _"It's Max, sir…" he mumbled, looking younger than his twenty years and Joseph had to stand up and take a deep breath in, letting it out slowly._

" _Right, I'll deal with you later… Liam, Ethan, get a car and get to the hospital as soon as possibly- hopefully, Her Majesty won't have noticed what had happened."  
_

 _He really, truly hoped that she would understand what had happened… but he had the feeling that he wouldn't…._

Unfortunately, his intuition proved correct and he had a justifiable dressing down from the Queen….

" _WHAT exactly happened this morning?" Her Majesty (he didn't dare consider calling her Clarisse, not with this happening) asked evenly, sitting down behind her desk as Joseph moved from the doorway to standing in front of her desk. "I take it that it wasn't planned."  
_

 _"No, it wasn't. I had two men, as you agreed, on the roster to go with you…but somehow, some people didn't get the message."  
_

 _"I take it you are referring to Max Smith, the temporary intern?"  
_

 _"Yes, ma'am. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken."  
_

 _"I see. Will appropriate disciplinary action be taken in regards to the men who were actually in charge of ensuring that Max Smith accompanied Scott to the hospital?"  
_

 _"Ma'am? That means that…."  
_

 _"Yes, it will be both you and Scott that will require action, although you are receiving yours now from me."_

 _Her tone turned cool, corresponding with the expression on her face and Joseph knew that she was preparing herself to give a lecture that she had given many other members of her staff over the years (him only a couple of times, mainly when he was younger and still unsure of what was going on) and that she knew off by heart._

" _Are you willing to admit that it was the fault of the senior members of your team that caused this problem? That both you and Scott should have checked on the roster and ensured that everything necessary was followed through?"  
_

 _"Yes, ma'am."_

" _That Scott was put under unnecessary pressure with being the only person present on my team when I went to the hospital? Also, that you assigned an intern into a role that he shouldn't have been assigned to?"  
_

 _"Agreed, ma'am."_

" _That you created more attention for the palace and your security team by sending two additional men to the hospital and attracting the attention of the press?"_

 _She waved to the newspaper on her desk and he looked down to see a picture of his two security men racing across the hospital floor, toward where she was, with the headline reading: "HALF SECURITY FOR THE QUEEN- IS HER HOS STARTING TO LOSE IT?"_

" _Yes, ma'am, and I'm truly sorry for that."  
_

 _"Apologies won't suffice, Joseph, you know what could have happened."  
_

 _"Of COURSE I know what could have happened!" he suddenly exploded, taking them both aback. "I've always been aware of that, and today was a mistake… I'm sorry, I promise that it won't happen again."  
_

 _Clarisse regarded him evenly, not particularly pleased at the way he had raised his voice to her but also confident that he was well aware of her feelings on the subject and that she had dealt with the situation._

" _Thank you, I hope that it doesn't happen again," before he turned and walked back towards the door, taking that as his signal for dismissal._

Thankfully, the intern was removed from working anywhere near the Queen (having been transferred to a less sensitive area of the security team) and Joseph relaxed somewhat, although he wasn't pleased that, over the Christmas holidays, he did more hours than anyone else, not that he minded- he had the chance to spend more time with the Queen, although there wasn't as much time as he had hoped, considering that Mia had returned for the vacation and that there were plenty of parties and occasions that the two royals had to attend.

That was the final piece in the puzzle, the final issue that had contributed to Joseph's bad mood- he and Her Majesty… Clarisse… had barely any time since their day at the beach to consolidate what had occurred- the deepening of their friendship and the furthering of their relationship- and he was beginning to wonder, paranoia beginning to seep in as well as irritation, frustration, stress and anger, whether she was pushing him away deliberately, burying herself in work so that she didn't have to deal with him and their feelings for each other.

Yes, when they had returned to the palace, she had been more than open to the potentiality of their relationship, that things could and would change- but since then, since the busyness of their respective roles, and the stress of what had happened lately, Joseph had suddenly realised that things possibly mightn't be the same between the two of them…maybe she had regretted the closeness that had occurred during their beach trip, and she probably also regretted their kisses….

000

This was the thought that he had woken up with that cool January morning (a thought that he had been woken up with for the past few months) and his mood, which had been calm for a few moments when he had woken up (again after a late night of paperwork and a few Scotches), suddenly deteriorated again, particularly once he realised that he had a staff meeting that morning….

It was just after eight when he stormed into the security hub- thankfully all team members (except those on duty) present and breakfast and coffee on the table- and slammed his folder of paperwork onto the table and, after pouring a cup of coffee (the room suddenly turning silent at his arrival), sat down at the head of the table.

"Alright, let's start this meeting!"


	2. Part Two

_A/N: Thanks to all my reader and reviewers- you all rock!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

" _Alright, let's start this meeting!"_

Even though Joseph's security team had grown used to his short temper, even the tone of Joseph's voice and the scowl on his face startled some of the men sitting around the table and they all looked down at the table, not wanting to meet his glare.

Scott was the only one who was looking at Joseph- he wasn't foolhardy, he wasn't completely comfortable with Joseph and his temper (he had been on the receiving end of it time and again over the years), but he felt that at least one person had to show their boss that they weren't completely afraid of him.

"So, has everyone got the agenda?" he asked, glancing around and there was a murmuring of agreement as well as the soft sound of shuffling papers as Joseph rolled his eyes.

"Of COURSE they would have got the agenda, Scott, I'm sure you were up early preparing for the meeting," Joseph snapped as he opened his own leather folder and retrieved his copy. "What are we discussing first?"

"Well… I thought…."

"For goodness' sake, Scott, I thought you were organised!"

"I am, I know…" he retorted, embarrassed that he had been caught out for trying to work out what he wanted to deal with first and irritated that Joseph hadn't given him the chance to start the meeting.

"Then let's go!"

"Alright, starting with Her Majesty's agenda for the next week, here is the roster that I've arranged for that week…"

"I thought that I was supposed to peruse it beforehand," Joseph frowned as he glanced at the roster and wasn't displeased to discover that his time with the Queen had been cut back somewhat and that others were being put in charge of her. "There are a few things here that I don't agree with…"

"That's why I thought we would do it now and make any necessary changes… although I did ask for your assistance a couple of days ago."  
Joseph slowly raised his gaze so that he was meeting the younger man's eyes and he was slightly surprised that Scott didn't look away, that he was meeting and holding his gaze.

"When?"

"When what?"

"When did you ask me to peruse the roster? Certainly it couldn't have been today or yesterday, because I was here, in the office, dealing with administrative issues…and this could be counted as an administrative issue."

"I did come and ask you for help," Scott persisted stubbornly, not knowing why he was being argumentative… wait, he did- he was fed up with being treated like dirt (and he wasn't the only one) and he wanted Joseph to realise that. "But you waved me away and said 'I'll deal with it later' and of course… you didn't!"

Joseph still stared at Scott while the rest of the team kept their heads down and stared at blankly at the pieces of paper- Scott wasn't usually so rambunctious and disrespectful and most of them didn't want to be here when the inevitable explosion occurred between the Head of Security and his second in charge- they were very alike in some ways.

"It's true…" Scott insisted but a little more lamely than before- Joseph was usually a force to be reckoned with at the best of times, but a silent, grumpy Joseph was even worse…

The atmosphere suddenly became tense and almost poisonous as the two men continued to stare at each other, Scott's eyes suddenly becoming watery but was determined to keep his gaze locked with Joseph-

"Do you really want to go through this now?" he said finally.

"No, but I just wanted you to know that I had the roster planned beforehand."

"And we'll go through it later… thanks," he waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal and the roster was quickly hidden away until after the meeting. "So… what's next?"

"Uh…."

"For GOODNESS SAKE!" Joseph exploded. "What is wrong with all of you? You've all been here for breakfast and probably a couple of hours before this! Surely, you all could have pulled together to be ORGANISED for a stupid STAFF MEETING! Honestly, you are all incompetent and I wish I had the chance to fire you all and get a group of men who KNOW what they are DOING, instead of having interns that don't know what they're doing, organising rosters that don't work and a lack of security on the Queen… I have HAD IT!" he almost roared before leaping to his feet, almost knocking the chair over and grabbing his folder before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

He didn't know what he was doing, or where he was going, but all he knew was that… he had to get out of here.

0

Back in the security hub, there was a stunned silence as the men looked around at each other, astonished at what they had just witnessed. Yes, they all knew that Joseph had a temper (and most of them had been on the receiving end of it at one time or another) but most of the time, he had been calm and fairly in control, but obviously the last couple of months had taken their toll….

"You shouldn't have gone after him about that roster," one of the older men, Chas, chided Scott. "That could have happened after the meeting, we could have waited until he had perused it."

"I know, I know," Scott was sinking back in his seat, feeling more and more ashamed of himself and wondering why he had actually pushed the issue of the roster so far. Yes, he had been infuriated by Joseph's attitude and high handedness and… he had a case of saying what he thought before really thinking about what he was saying….but he really shouldn't have pushed the issue.

He felt awful, truly, truly awful- he knew that Joseph had been stressed more than usual during the festive season and things hadn't worked out particularly well with the intern (and he had been Scott's idea to begin with) and then… well, he could more than understand the explosion, the roster had been merely the catalyst for the explosion that had just occurred.

"So, what happens now?" someone else asked. "Will he be back soon, or has he quit or…"

"Don't say that, I'm sure he hasn't quit, he's probably gone for a walk or a drive somewhere to cool off and I'm sure he'll be back later. Until then, there's nothing we can do at the moment."

"But what if… "

"Don't say a word," Scott said. "Not one word."

"What about Her Majesty? What is her schedule for today?"

Scott sighed and glanced at the Queen's agenda for that day and let out a sigh of relief- thankfully, she was due to spend the day in her study, catching up on paperwork and preparing for a couple of meetings later in the week. At least that would make things a little easier for them.

"Won't she be wondering where he is?"

"Not if we're careful and ensure that someone else is around her at most times. We can always say that he's busy with paperwork."

"Do you really think that will fly?"

"Probably not, but it's the best that we can do for now. Anyway, obviously the staff meeting is over for now, but hopefully he'll be back in a couple of hours…"

"We'd better not have a staff meeting for a day or so, just to allow things to settle down."

"Yes, I think that might be best… so, let's go and have a great day! Oh, and if you see Charlotte, can you send her in to me?"

The room emptied quickly- the Queen was due to emerge from her suite soon enough and no that Joseph had stormed out, they had to make sure that everything was normal and that she knew nothing about what had happened that morning.

"You wanted to see me?" he heard a voice in the doorway and Scott stopped his gathering of the paperwork to look up and see Charlotte standing in the doorway.

"Hey Charlotte, yes I do…"

"Does this have something to do with the fact that Joe, your boss and the Queen's personal bodyguard, was seen storming out of the palace about ten minutes ago?"

"I…yes it does."

"Does this little discussion have to do with me trying to cover said HOS's absence from his boss, the Queen?"

"Yes, yes it does."

"Scott, I can tell you now- that isn't going to happen. I can't lie to the Queen- she's too quick and smart for that…"

"You have lied before, though, right?"

"Yes, but not to the Queen. Do you remember what happened at that dinner when Lord Fricker passed out drunk? I tried to tell her that he was sick with the flu, but she knew I wasn't telling the truth! That's why I can't lie to her… not that I would want to anyway."

"Char, calm down. I'm not saying lie outright to her, just… stretch the truth somewhat."

"And what am I stretching the truth about?" she folded her arms and just looked at him, an eyebrow raised quizzically.

"If… Her Majesty happens to wonder where Joseph is, if she wants to go for a walk and there's someone else going with her, probably one of the older men, I think that's who Joe would want to accompany her… yeah, just say that he's busy with paperwork and cannot be disturbed."

"You want _ME_ to tell the _QUEEN_ that her _personal bodyguard_ cannot be disturbed because of _paperwork_?" even Charlotte's tone was of disbelief. "Have you ever **tried** telling Her Majesty something like that? Because, if you have, I would love to see you try again now."

"Well, maybe not those words exactly," Scott said, hastily backtracking. "You probably could find words of your own to tell her that Joe's not available, even to her."

"That's even worse!" Charlotte sputtered, trying to suppress a smile. "I can see that you haven't had that many dealings with Her Majesty."

"Seriously, Charlotte," Scott looked at her soberly. "This is important. I'm afraid I pushed Joseph too hard during the staff meeting and it's my fault that he stalked out of her. I just want to keep things low key, at least until he comes back… if he comes back. Can you really help me with this? I really need your help," he looked at her almost beseechingly and Charlotte nodded, suddenly serious.

"Of course. I'm a bad liar but I'll try…and I think that he will come back, he probably just needs a few hours off and he deserves that."

"Yes he does… but I really hope that he comes back… I really, really hope so…."


	3. Part Three

_A/N: Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me_

Completely unaware of what had transpired downstairs earlier that morning, Her Majesty Queen Clarisse emerged from her suite after breakfast, preparing herself for a day behind her desk and the enormous pile of paperwork that had been piling up over the past few weeks. Hopefully, she would be able to have a walk in the garden as a break (or maybe as two breaks, she would probably need more than one break, considering what she had to do today) and hopefully Joseph would be pleased to accompany her… she hoped that he would.

However, almost the moment she stepped out of her suite, Clarisse could sense that there was a strange atmosphere in the palace, an atmosphere that she couldn't explain- although, upon reflection, the behaviour of her maids had been unusual during her breakfast time, as if they had known something but had been instructed not to say anything to her.

There was nothing unusual in the hallways or downstairs towards her study- her guards were standing in front of her study doors as usual, but she was a little surprised to discover that Joseph wasn't waiting inside her study for her- he usually reported to her early in the morning to ensure that her schedule was formed and there were no changes to the day- but, then again, if she was spending the day at the palace, doing paperwork, he had probably deemed it unnecessary to report to her… although he usually did it anyway, it was one of their rare private moments that they are able to enjoy during the day.

She too remembered the day they had spent at the beach, the closeness that had drawn them closer to each other, the confidences they had shared, and the hand holding… the kisses…

She had been regretful that she and Joseph hadn't had any additional opportunities to consolidate what they had experienced at the beach, that they had time to enjoy their deepening relationship… to hold hands again and share a few kisses, she admitted to herself with a coy smile. They had had some private time together- mainly a few nightcaps in the evenings as well as strolls around the garden, but there hadn't been time to do anything else.

It had been a busy few months since then, but the memory of the day had remained in her mind and Clarisse had been keen to continue exploring that relationship (the realisation frightening her just as much as it exhilarated her) but things had been far too busy and complicated…and Joseph hadn't been in the best of moods lately, much as he had tried to hide it from her….

She was already settled at her desk when Charlotte came into the room, clutching her notebook and pen, preparing to take notes for what Clarisse wanted her to do that day. She was an excellent personal assistant, organised, quick and intelligent and Clarisse didn't know what she would do without her, she was that efficient.

However, this morning, she seemed a little distracted as she sat down in the chair opposite the desk and opened her notebook, her eyes still on the book.

"Good morning, Charlotte," Clarisse said gently yet chidingly and Charlotte blushed as she looked up.

"Good morning, Your Majesty. I hope you rested well last night."

"I did… and you?" Clarisse was puzzled at the conversation- Charlotte was being unusually polite, asking about how she rested (something she hadn't asked before) instead of giving her the latest news from the media (she read all the papers as well, but Clarisse enjoyed different perspectives and she often enjoyed discussing the latest news with Charlotte or Joseph just as much as Sebastian) and, the biggest clue that there was something wrong- she continued to avoid her gaze- she had met her eyes briefly when she had responded to her greeting, but then her eyes had flickered away. Clarisse was instantly intrigued and curious… but she couldn't help but feel a little concerned as well.

"Charlotte?"

"Yes?"

"Is there something going on? Is there anything wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong, Your Majesty," Charlotte said quickly, meeting Clarisse's eyes again but her eyes flickered away from her just as quickly.

"Charlotte?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I don't believe you and I'm not saying this to be unkind… but you and I both know that you're not a very good liar… so please, tell me what's going on," Clarisse still sounded gentle but there was an edge creeping into her tone and her expression was turning even.

Charlotte blushed again- she knew that trying to avoid the subject was not the best tactic, so she tried Scott's suggestion.

"Joseph isn't to be disturbed today, he's got a lot of paperwork to do," she said bravely, meeting and holding Her Majesty's gaze.

"I see," Clarisse said evenly. "I see… but that wasn't what I was asking you- there is something going on in the palace and I would like to know what it is," and this time, her tone was brooking no argument or excuse- she _wanted_ to know and she _would_ know.

Charlotte winced inwardly- she had known that Scott's reasoning wouldn't work, and she knew that she was seriously beginning to irritate the Queen, so she decided to throw caution to the wind and tell her the truth.

"Alright," she looked up and met the Queen's even expression. "There was a staff meeting this morning and…well, I don't know all the details, but Joseph stormed out and has apparently left the palace about an hour ago."

"What?!" Clarisse was shocked- she hadn't expected anything like this and she certainly hadn't expected Joseph to walk out on his job. "Has he quit? Did he say that he quit?"

There was an element of panic in her voice, although she tried to hide it well and Charlotte didn't seem to have noticed. The panic was not just about losing her Head of Security, one of the best men who had looked after her over the years, but it was also panic at losing Joseph…

"Scott said he hadn't, he had just exploded and stormed out… his car is missing and….the guards saw him leave the grounds." Charlotte said simply- there was nothing else to say but the truth.

"Oh," Clarisse sat back in her chair, looking stunned.

"Of course, Scott is arranging alternative security arrangements, just in case you are needed to leave the palace…."

"That won't be necessary, although I appreciate Scott's fore thinking and please tell him so. I will be quite content to remain behind my desk for the day…."

 _So much for a walk or two in the garden,_ she thought to herself, although it was more important to find out what was going on with Joseph and why he had left so suddenly early this morning.

She had sensed that he had needed a break (although he would have fobbed her off with the words ' _impossible, there's too much to do, I've got too much to do with my guys''_ ) but she had wished, more than ever, that she had forced him to have a break when she had sensed that he had needed it, after the Christmas and New Year's celebrations, although he had denied it fiercely and almost shouted at her only a few days earlier…..

" _Are you alright?" she asked gently after one such security meeting, three days after the New Year, and the visitors that had been staying at the palace had left. Clarisse herself had been slightly exhausted- her exhaustion made her realise that she wasn't as young as she once was, and that she was also looking forward to Mia finally ascending the throne when she was twenty one. She had a few days to herself, now, to rest and recover before preparing for the year ahead, but she had also wanted to know what she had to prepare for- and that included Joseph in the consultation process._

 _Charlotte had already provided her agenda for the first six months and much of it had been agreed to and Joseph had presented her with the security plans for the following year- one specific action was that there would be no inexperienced interns that year, not before they had undergone the necessary training that Joseph felt necessary._

" _We're not going to have the problems that we had last year," he had said harshly when he had informed Clarisse of this, and while Clarisse had felt it a little too harsh a judgement, she decided to keep her tongue in check- Joseph wasn't in the best of moods and she assumed that he was just as tired, if not more, than she._

" _I'm fine," he said as he packed up his papers and slipped them into his leather folder. "If there was anything else?" he turned to look at her coolly and Clarisse was a little surprised- he usually expected a nightcap after a meeting such as this._

" _No, if there is anything else that I think of, I will get Charlotte to contact you…but Joseph," she stood up and slowly made her way towards him. "Are you sure you're alright?"  
_

 _"I'm fine," he snapped._

" _I know the Christmas and New Year's celebrations were busier than usual this year…." She began awkwardly. "You and your men did exceptionally well."  
_

 _"It's part of our job, Your Majesty," he was still standing upright to attention, his eyes distant and expression neutral._

" _I would completely understand if you wished to have some time off… I'm having a few days off myself…" she gave him a wry grin, expecting it to be returned but, instead, his expression turned even icier._

" _Are you having doubts about my abilities to protect you?"  
_

 _"No, I…."  
_

 _"Are you having doubts that I cannot continue my duties without having a break?"  
_

 _"No, I…."  
_

 _"Are you simply wanting to get rid of me for a few days?" he spat the last sentence out and Clarisse was aghast and shocked._

" _No, never… I just thought…."  
_

 _"Well, if there are no doubts about my abilities, then we do not have to continue this conversation. I'm fine and it is not necessary for me to have any time off, as you suggest, although I thank you for your pity."  
_

 _"Pity? Joseph, it's not pity…."  
_

 _"NO? Then why do I feel like it is?" he almost shouted before he recovered himself and took a deep breath in before giving her a curt bow. "Your Majesty. May I be excused?"  
_

 _"Of course," Clarisse responded, watching almost sadly as he strode from the room, his back stiff from anger….what was wrong with Joseph?_

"Forget our plans for the moment, Charlotte," she said gently, resting back in her chair. "I would like to discuss exactly what happened this morning… I know you might not know what had happened at the meeting itself, but I assume that you would have heard quite a bit from those around him, including Scott and my maids… so I would like to know exactly what happened- please, tell me everything."

000

Charlotte's tale wasn't as long as she had expected (but much of it made sense to Clarisse) but while Clarisse spent the rest of the day at her desk, perusing and signing papers, her mind couldn't help but continue to drift back to Joseph and the explosion that had forced him to walk out.

Of course, she wouldn't fire him when (or if) he came back, but she would insist that he _had_ to have a break and for more than one day… yes, he would be stubborn and insist on not wanting to go (she couldn't help but admire him for his dedication to his work… and to her, she knew that was the truth as well) but she would have to insist, for the sake of his health and sanity as well as the sanity of his security team (and she knew that they had been tolerating his bad mood for quite a while now), that he had some time off.

But… she also knew that he wouldn't go without a fight, so she had to consider other options… he had helped her when she was stressed, so she had to help him as well… not only as his queen and boss, but as his friend and… _girlfriend_ … a word that made her nose wrinkle in disgust, it sounded so modern and quite unlike what she wanted but, in regards to their relationship, it as the truth… they were more than friends…

But _where_ could they go? The beach house was totally inappropriate in this weather, it was far too cold and icy, she could only imagine them huddling in the house… no, that wasn't quite relaxing… but where else? What about… Joseph's cabin? He had a personal cabin, close to the Winter Palace, a place he had called his 'retreat' but hadn't been (or rather, had refused) to go recently…

Suddenly, now the idea was in her head, she had to go through with it, she wanted to go through with it and Clarisse pressed the button on the intercom that connected her with Charlotte's office.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Charlotte, can you go and get Scott and bring him to my study?"


	4. Part Four

_A/N: Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

Meanwhile, the other two questions that was on everyone's mind was: _where was Joseph and what was he doing?_

Joseph had stormed out of the staff meeting, fully determined to go for a very, very long walk, giving himself time to calm down and repress his emotions, fully intending on being back on duty when the Queen emerged from her suite, ready to begin her day,… but somehow, that hadn't happened… somehow, he had found that it wasn't enough and he found himself almost running to his room (his knees preventing him from running completely), grabbed his jacket, car keys, wallet and sunglasses and made the decision to leave for the day. He wasn't quitting, not in the slightest, but all he knew was that he had to get out of the palace and the time was _NOW_!

"Joe!" he heard someone call- Charlotte, he assumed, as he didn't think that any of his men would _dare_ to face him after what had transpired earlier- but he chose to keep his head down, ignoring the call and the few staff members who were milling around and head towards the door that lead to the palace garage where his car resided with the rest of the palace cars ( _"Of course your car should be garaged with the rest of the cars, this is your home as well!"_ )

These words kept echoing in his mind as he searched the darkened garage for his black BMW, and he was vaguely aware that Clarisse… the Queen… Clarisse (the name and title of the same women kept causing him pain- Clarisse the woman, Her Majesty the Queen) would expect to see him sometime during the day, but the moment… he honestly didn't care….

0

However, almost an hour later, once he was 'on the road' and had left Pyrus behind him, Joseph wasn't quite sure of his impulsive decision, not knowing where he wanted to go or what he wanted to do.

Relaxation was something rare for him- a word and action that he hadn't experienced in years (not that he had wanted to) but now that it had actually happened, and seemed appealing, his conscience was reminding him of the responsibilities he was abandoning back at the palace, namely Clarisse… Her Majesty… the Queen… Clarisse….

Where was he to go? He wanted to go to the beach house, relive the memories of that day he had spent with Clarisse in October, but it was far too cold for that; his cabin was too far away to go there and back within a day; and he couldn't go back into Pyrus and wander around there because most people knew who he was and it would attract attention back to the palace, something he didn't want at all.

He found it relaxing to drive- he had very rarely had any opportunity to do so when he was working, usually opting to sit in the passenger seat next to the driver, read to spring out at any opportunity to open Her Majesty's door when she alight at her destination, something she had teased him about on more than one occasion….

" _How can you spring into action so quickly?"_

" _It's part of my job to be prepared- and I don't want you waiting long in the car."  
_

 _"Why wouldn't I mind waiting? Sometimes I'm just trying to delay entering parliament and dealing with those men."  
_

 _"I can understand that… but you have a reputation to protect and I want to protect it."  
_

 _"You have a reputation too."  
_

 _"What's that?  
_

 _"Being far too quick on your feet… they say…."  
_

 _"Who says?"  
_

 _"Well, according to my maids, there is a saying that there must be a spring in your chair that is set off once the car comes to a stop… it propels you into action, like Superman."  
_

 _"I see," was all Joseph said and Clarisse wondered whether he had offended him, but when he looked up at her again, he was grinning.  
_

 _"That's a reputation I wouldn't mind maintaining."  
_

 _"I'm sure you wouldn't have any problem keeping that reputation," she retorted with a twinkle in her eye and they couldn't help but exchange a flirtatious look._

Joseph couldn't help but grin at the memory- he too had heard the saying around the palace, but hearing Her Majesty say it only confirmed the truth of the story. Yes, he liked being prepared, he knew he had to be on the go, ready to go whenever the Queen was ready to climb out of the car, but what he didn't want to mention to the Queen was that he was so quick so that in case something went wrong- a crowd that went wild or something much worse- he was on hand to protect her.

That memory again reminded him that he had abandoned his post, abandoned his Queen, and he full expected that when he returned, he would be fired. Justifiable, he knew, he would do the same if he was in her position, but still, the thought was more painful that he imagined. He would never see her again, never be able to hold her hand, call her Clarisse… kiss her… but he also knew that he had to be punished for what he had done…

For a moment, he was tempted to turn the car around and return to the palace and the inevitable, but then he suddenly decided that he would enjoy his day off and deal with the consequences later.

He suddenly realised that he was driving into the outskirts of Mertz, a town three hours south of Pyrus and he was suddenly hungry. Glancing at his watch, it was almost noon, so he decided to look around for a restaurant or a pub where he could have a meal- hopefully, no one would recognise him….

He found a pub near the centre of town, and Joseph felt a little self-conscious as he parked the car and strolled towards the pub- there were a few people walking around the main street and he wondered whether they would notice that he was wearing black, unlike most of the population who were dressed casually, albeit warmly.

However, Joseph was relieved that no one was taking any notice of him or what he was doing and he managed to slip inside the pub unobtrusively.

"Morning, how can I help you?" the bar man was standing behind the bar, cleaning a glass while there were a few patrons (obviously the regulars) sitting around the bar, glasses on the bars in front of them.

"Morning, I was wondering if I could grab a drink and a meal." Joseph asked as he slid onto a barstool and removed his sunglasses.

"You're right in luck, the bistro is just about to open," he waved to the said bistro, located in a corner of the pub, a number of chairs and booths lining the walls. "I'd recommend the meal of the day- steak and chips, they cook it pretty well… What can I get you?"

Joseph wouldn't have minded a beer, but he had to drive back to Pyrus and it wouldn't look great if he turned up back at the palace under the influence of alcohol, or even getting pulled over on the way back.

"A Coke would be great."

"Just a coke?" one of the other bar patrons joked. "You don't want to add anything to that?"

"Just the Coke," Joseph reaffirmed to the bartender and he nodded.

"A Coke it is…"

"Where are you from?" the same patron, an older man with a scrubby beard and wearing jeans and a flannelette shirt, slurred as he turned to face Joseph. "Don't think I've seen you here before."

"I'm not from around here…I'm from Pyrus."

"No, I didn't mean where you live, where were you born? You look… Spanish, Italian?"

"I was born in Spain, although I have travelled around the world as well."

"Lucky son of a gun, aren't you? I wouldn't have minded travelling around a little if I had the chance… or the money," the older man sounded sarcastic and Joseph, already wary, was suddenly considering options about whether he should leave the bar altogether and avoid having lunch.

"Never mind old Jim here," the bartender thankfully intervened as he set his glass of Coke on the bar in front of him. "He's just a little jealous of everyone who has travelled… not that he ever wanted to do it anyway," he gave the other man a look, who grunted and turned away back to his own conversation. "Having a day off?" the barman continued conversationally and Joseph shrugged.

"Yes, just needed to get away from the job for a day."

"High pressure job?"

"I suppose so," he shrugged- yes, being the personal bodyguard of the Queen was fairly high pressure, not that he had ever really considered it to be high pressure, he had never really considered it to be so, everything was usually dealt with fairly easily, but to the outside world… their perception would probably be a lot different.

"What do you do?"

"I'm in security," which seemed like the simplest answer to give, and he hoped that he wouldn't pursue the subject, he didn't want to get any more specific.

"Tough job… like a bouncer in a club or something?"

"More like personal security."

"Oh, that would be even tougher, wouldn't it?"

"I guess so, but I don't mind it."

"Good for you," the bartender gave him a smile and then moved down the bar to where a couple of the patrons were calling for more drinks.

00000

After lunch- and Joseph had to admit that the bartender had been right about the steak and chips (although he had opted for salad as well), they had been delicious (although not quite up to the standard of the palace chefs, he knew he had been spoiled) - Joseph decided to take a walk around Mertz, stretch his legs before getting back in the car and driving back to Pyrus.

"Take care, security!" the bartender held up a hand in farewell as Joseph moved towards the door, Joseph returning the wave (and thankfully his 'friend' hadn't noticed he was leaving) before he stepped out into the cool main street- the temperature had suddenly dropped since he had entered the bar about an hour or so earlier, but it wasn't cool enough that he couldn't take a stroll down the main street of Mertz.

As he shrugged on his jacket, he felt his mobile phone on his belt and wondered momentarily whether he should check his messages or even call the palace, but then shrugged, deciding not to bother. Why ruin the rest of an already unplanned day with the inevitable consequences? He could wait until he returned to the palace.

0

"Have we heard from him at all?" Scott inquired as he strode back into the security hub after his 'meeting' with Her Majesty (and, he had to admit, it wasn't as bad as he had feared- he had half expected her to fire him for not 'controlling' Joseph properly and preventing him from leaving the palace that morning) and one of his colleagues looked up from his phone and shook his head regretfully.

"Keeps going to voicemail, I don't think he has it on."

"Well, we're going to keep on trying, we need to know what's going to happen tomorrow."

"What's on Her Majesty's schedule for tomorrow?"

"I'm not quite sure yet," Scott was being uncharacteristically closed- mouthed and unconcerned about what would happen with Joseph.

"How come?"

"I don't know and that's all I'm going to say."

"What did Her Majesty want? Did she want to tear strips off you for letting Joseph escape from the palace?" one of the younger men teased and Scott grinned sheepishly.

"No, not that like at all….but I cannot say anything, not at the moment… but believe me, by the end of the day, you will know more."

0

Joseph discovered that the afternoon passed by pleasantly- he hadn't had the opportunity to stroll leisurely down the main street of Mertz, exploring some of the shops, standing in front of the real estate agency and examining all the properties that were for sale.

He hadn't time for this for many years, having always been on the run, trying to ensure that the security team at the palace ran smoothly and well, as well as ensuring that the Queen was always well protected, but he had to admit that he was enjoying the day, despite the guilt that was building in the pit of his stomach. Soon, he would have to go back and face the music….

Mertz was a pleasant town three hours south of Pyrus, and while Pyrus was the capital and not only population wise but for the industries that made Genovia a small but great nation, Mertz had its own offerings as well- including being only 4 hours away from the French border.

Aside from the marching band that went to the parade every year, there were a number of farms on the outskirts of town, growing the fruit and vegetables that were exported and imported- pears being the most popular- as well as factories where the silk and lace that made Genovia famous were made. It was a tourist town- tourists flocked to the city every spring and summer to visit the farms, the wineries and the lake and enormous camping site that everyone enjoyed visiting.

Joseph himself hadn't been to the lake or the campsite in years- not since it had been developed- but Phillipe had been when he was younger and he had told Joseph that he had enjoyed it and had a great time water-skiing on the lake as well as barbequing with his friends (which of course included his security team) and _"I definitely recommend that you go and have some fun."  
_

 _"I'd like to have the time for that," Joseph chuckled easily._

" _I'm sure Maman would give you the time off, if you wanted to go," Phillipe said earnestly. "I'll even mention it to her, if you wish."  
_

 _"That's very thoughtful of you, Your Highness, but I'm content to do my own thing."  
_

 _"If you ever want it though, you know where I am…"_

Now, standing by the still frozen lake, the campsite neglected due to the weather and the season, Joseph suddenly wished that he had requested the time to come out here for a couple of days. He wasn't a camping man at all, but there had been cabins built and he would have been able to stay there… he could just imagine all the families flocking there in summer, swimming and water skiing, camping out under the stars, barbequing and just enjoying each other's company…. He was too old now, definitely, to camp, but maybe there was an option for holidays in the future… although, who was he kidding, he wouldn't actually take the time off….

He sighed and glanced at his watch- the sky was rapidly darkening and he still had the three hour trip back to Pyrus, as well as stopping for dinner on the way. It was time to go, and while he knew that he had to face the music back home, he was actually relieved that he had had some time to relax and be away from the palace, even if only for a few hours…

000

By the time he returned to the palace (and having had dinner in a roadside diner on the way home), it was after ten o'clock and he was quietly confident that everyone was asleep. He didn't even bother to stop in the security hub to check on what was going on with the team (and, more importantly, whether the Queen had noticed his absence) but the question was answered clearly when he discovered Her Majesty was standing near the doorway of his room.

"Your Majesty! It's rather late in the evening- I didn't think you would still be awake!" he said in surprise.

"I've had a fairly easy day and I'm fine," Her Majesty said quietly, her expression neutral but her expression was even. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said guiltily, realising that the moment was on him and he wasn't actually looking forward to this, despite his calm assurances to himself earlier in the day.

"Good. We need to talk." She stated this sentence calmly, without any anger. "May I?" she indicated his bedroom and he shook his head.

"No, Your Majesty, that would be inappropriate." Not to mention the fact that it was a mess, he hadn't had the chance to clean up this morning, only desperate to leave before he exploded.

"Fine. My study. Fifteen minutes," before she turned on her heel and strode back down the hallway, leaving Joseph stunned and wondering what was going to happen…


	5. Part Five

_A/N: Thanks to my readers and reviewers, you all rock!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me_

Joseph showered as quickly as he possibly could, feeling nervous and guilty (his feeling of relaxation long since dissipated, probably since he had seen Her Majesty waiting by his doorway) and knowing what the inevitable result was going to be for leaving the palace when he was supposed to be on duty.

He shouldn't have let the palace, he shouldn't have left Her Majesty in the lurch (even if she hadn't had anything on her schedule for the day) and, judging by her demeanour (while calm, even and neutral, he could sense something underneath), he knew that she was angry and she was going to be dressed down severely, if not fired. Her Majesty very rarely lost her temper- the angrier she got, the calmer and more composed she became, and at this moment, her calmness was an indicator that she was very, very angry.

As he dressed, Joseph wondered how his 'firing' was going transpire- would Clarisse… Her Majesty be abrupt and to the point, the meeting over in less than ten minutes or would she give him a lengthy lecture about his conduct and THEN demand his reputation.

From past observations, she was usually of the former technique while her husband was of the latter- either why, a dismissal from the royal couple could be brutal.

He also couldn't help but wonder what he would do once he was forced from the palace (and Joe knew he was being oddly distant and unbothered by his potential unemployment, he was more bothered about the fact that he probably wouldn't see her again)- he knew he would have a good pension, of course and probably a grace and favour house in Pyrus (courtesy of the royal family) but suddenly it didn't seem as appealing as he imagined…even envisioning the moment of truth didn't seem as appealing…

" _Joseph?"  
_

 _"Yes, Your Majesty."  
_

 _"You have been a dedicated and hardworking member of staff, but due to your recent behaviour, I have no alternative but to terminate your employment. Of course, you will have your retirement package…."_

He hastily dressed in his usual black, black trousers and shirt, and examined himself in the mirror, dreading what was going to happen but he knew it was justified…

Not much use keeping her waiting, he told himself- the more time he kept her waiting, the more difficult the situation was going to be, the angrier she was going to be….

0

Meanwhile, Clarisse was sitting in her study and trying desperately not to pace, as she had been doing since seven o'clock when young Scott had come into her study and informed her that Joseph still hadn't returned or turned on his phone. It was then that she came to her decision that they had decided on earlier in the day….

" _What shall I tell my men? What do you want us to do now?" Scott inquired._

" _What we had discussed earlier," Clarisse said firmly._

" _Are you sure?"  
_

 _"Yes Scott, 'm sure- this will work… do I have your support?"  
_

 _"You do, ma'am, as well as my men… do I have your permission to inform them of… the plan?"  
_

 _"Yes, I've already informed Charlotte so everything is prepared… will you be alright in our absence tomorrow?"  
_

 _"We'll be more than alright, Your Majesty- with your absence, the pressure on us will be less than usual…" before Scott mentally kicked himself-_ _ **he was talking to the Queen**_ _and, as usual, his big mouth had led him into trouble…_

" _It's alright, Scott, I understand… you all need a break as well," the Queen said reassuringly- he had more than rose to the call of duty and she appreciated his efforts. Yes, he was usually in Joseph's shadow (which was to be expected) and yes, he had a way of 'putting his foot in it' (Joseph and Charlotte regularly complained about him, Joseph more than Charlotte) but he also knew what he was doing and she couldn't fault him for that._

 _Either way, he was a model employee and protected her to the best of his ability… only one man beat him in that ability- Joseph….._

Suddenly, a knock on the door broke into her thoughts, almost exactly fifteen minutes after she had made her request and there was a momentary pause… why exactly was she nervous about facing him?

"Come in," she said finally, standing up and facing the door as it slowly opened and Joseph stepped into the room, looking cautious.

"Thank you for coming," she said politely as he closed the door behind him and moved slowly towards her.

"I didn't really have a choice," he said simply and she nodded.

"No, you didn't. Please, sit," she waved toward the sofa nearest her desk and he cautiously sat down on it, Clarisse following seconds later.

"I suppose you have no choice but to terminate my employment," he almost mumbled, ready to face the music as soon as possible.

"Why would you say that?" Clarisse was surprised, but not as surprised as Joseph as he looked up to discover her watching him, her expression a little warmer than before.

"I left my post and neglected my duty to you, that is instant dismissal right there."

"Maybe in Rupert's time, but I'm a little more tolerant than he was," she shrugged and Joseph suddenly looked puzzled.

"But…"

"Do you WANT me to fire you, Joseph?" she asked, her tone a little sharper but her expression still warm and kind.

"No, no I don't, ma'am… but…."

"Then stop mentioning being fired and terminated. Would you like a drink?" she stood up and strolled towards the small bar that was in the corner of the room.

"No, thank you, ma'am."

"I think you need one, and I'll join you… although I don't usually drink Scotch," before she expertly mixed up two drinks and returning to the sofa, handing one to him as she sat down.

"Thanks," he muttered before taking a sip, still aware that she was watching him closely.

"What's wrong, Joseph?" Clarisse finally asked- it was clear that he had convinced himself that he was going to be fired and was behaving as such, but she had no intention of doing so.

"There's nothing wrong, Your Majesty," Joseph kept his eyes down on his glass, not wanting to meet her eyes- suddenly, being alone with her and she wasn't angry but concerned, made him feel ashamed, not only for his behaviour for today but for his behaviour for the past couple of months.

"Joseph. Joseph, look at me," she said gently and he finally looked up to meet compassionate blue eyes. "I don't believe you."

"There is nothing wrong, Your Majesty. I'm fine."

"Really? If you were fine, you wouldn't have lost your temper this morning and stormed out of the palace, leaving and allowing no contact for the entire day. I don't think that's normal behaviour from you, Joseph, and you know that it isn't normal for you either. Now, we are not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on," she said, her expression still warm but her tone was sharp and commanding, suddenly becoming Queen again rather than being just Clarisse.

"Alright. Alright," he repeated, letting out a long, slow sigh and sitting back on the sofa. "I guess it's all just built up over the past few months… things haven't necessarily worked out very well in the security hub…."

"It was hardly your fault that the intern wasn't the cleverest boy on the team," Clarisse knew what he was referring to. "Neither you or Shades were to know what he was like, nor while I'll admit that there were several occasions when he really pushed the boundaries…"

"Don't remind me," he growled.

"I also know that he was very young and relatively inexperienced- but that wasn't your fault. What else is bothering you?"

"Your schedule…."

"Oh well, that happens from time to time. It happened to Rupert as well."

"I can recall how he reacted when there were problems in his schedule…" The King's temper was famed and furious and he had been an eyewitness to it on several occasions.

"That was Rupert, I'm me… and while I wasn't particularly pleased when it happened, it was all amended and that was what mattered. You handled the issue quite well."

"Still…."

"Joseph, you don't have to keep reliving these over and over again- it's not healthy and I have a feeling that you have been working overtime for quite some time and haven't had a break… until today, that is."

"Which was a mistake. You could have been in a danger."

"I could have, but thankfully I didn't have to leave the palace today and Scott and the rest of the men handled things quite well. You don't have to oversee everything, you know."

"I am your Head of Security…"

"I know that, but I also know that my Head of Security needs a break some time. When is the last time you actually had a weekend off?"

"Sometime last year," he shrugged- to be honest, he really hadn't had a weekend off in at least a year.

"More like the November before last," Clarisse said calmly and he looked at her, surprised. "You knew that….?"

"I had Scott look it up for me. Joseph," she moved closer to him and rested a hand gently on his knee. "That is NOT healthy, you need a break… a longer break than a day or two. You need a holiday."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" he tried to joke but he was painfully aware of her hand resting on his knee and her proximity to him.

"No, never," she said firmly. "But for the sake of your health and sanity, you need some time off."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't think Scott is up to becoming acting HOS."

"He did quite well today, and he IS your second in command."

"I know that, he's quite competent in most aspects, but he's not me."

"Yes, we both know that he's not you, but I'm sure he would be able to handle a week without you here."

"No," he said flatly and defiantly and Clarisse threw her hands up in exasperation.

"You are the most exasperating man I've ever met! I offer you time off but you turn it down! I could insist on you having time off!"

"Sorry," he shrugged with a grin. "I'm fine, today really helped me get things back into perspective. Besides, it would be a little…. semi nepotism if you INSISTED your HOS had time off… there would be questions, stories, rumours….and I don't want your reputation ruined by that."

"So what?" she tried to shrug flippantly but he saw right through it.

"You care and I care too… you don't need any additional problems at the moment. So, I will be back again tomorrow, and I'm sure I will let you know if I need a break," he said as he stood up, setting the glass down on the table and turning back towards her. "I'll report to you about nine o'clock tomorrow…"

"I think that might be a bit late in the day," Clarisse almost smirked as she stood up.

"What do you mean? That's the usual time we have a meeting."

"Yes, but we're not having a meeting tomorrow," she was enjoying his confusion, although she was looking forward to telling him what they were actually planning to do tomorrow.

"So… what are we doing?" Joseph was suddenly wondering whether she wasn't going to fire him, although she usually didn't play games like that.

"Can you be ready by 7 in the morning?"

"Seven in the morning? What for?" his confusion was heightened.

"I have a surprise for you, but you're just going to have to wait and see what it is… so, can you be here at seven tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, I can be… but…."

"Joseph, you're just going to have to wait and see," she gave him a coy smile reaching out and caressing his cheek with her hand before moving towards the door, Joseph in her wake.

"You do trust me, don't you?" she turned to give him a meaningful look and he nodded.

"I do."

"Then you're just going to have to wait and see… Good night, Joseph."

"Good night, Your Majesty."


	6. Part Six

_A/N: Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock! Sorry it's been a couple of weeks but work has been more than a little busy!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me_

Despite the fact that he had been driving all day and had done virtually nothing else, Joseph found that he couldn't sleep once he had retired after leaving Her Majesty's study, he was more curious about what she had planned for tomorrow and, almost as importantly, how she had gained 'permission' from Scott… not that she needed permission to do anything, he reminded himself hastily.

She was the Queen of Genovia and didn't have to answer to anyone… but still, he was curious about how Scott had agreed to whatever she had planned… although he suspected that given what had transpired today, he would have agreed easily to whatever she wanted… maybe they weren't leaving the palace, maybe they were just staying at the palace…his mind was whirling with possibilities but Joseph knew that he had to wait until tomorrow to find out what Clarisse had planned…

0

The next morning, the palace was still quiet and still when Joseph exited his room and made his way upstairs- he knew that he really should go and see Scott and the rest of the team, apologize and promise that his behaviour would be different, he wouldn't be so irritable with them in the future, but he was more curious about what Clarisse had planned.

There was only a momentary pause when he knocked on the suite doors before, to his surprise, Clarisse opened the door with a bright smile, looking surprisingly alert and already dressed.

"Good morning, Joseph."

"G-good morning, Your Majesty," he almost stammered in reply.

"You seem a little surprised that I'm up and about so early."

"No, not really….you usually get up early…."

"Or maybe you're surprised that I answered the door myself."

"No, ma'am."

"Joseph, will you please relax? I'm not angry with you about yesterday," she said firmly, guiding his face that he was meeting her eyes.

"Sorry..." he muttered- he wasn't quite sure why he was being shy around Her Majesty… Clarisse… but he was beginning to realise that she was right- he did need a break. "Are you ready to go? Have you had breakfast?"

He himself hadn't had breakfast- again, he hadn't wanted to step into the kitchen or the security hub- but he was more concerned that Clarisse… Her Majesty… had already eaten.

"No, but I'm fine… I've had the kitchen pack a hamper so we can have something on the road."

"On the road?"

"Yes, we're going away from the palace for the day… if it worked for me, I'm sure that it will work for you as well."

"What about….?"

"You don't have to worry about Scott, he and I have worked it all out and he has agreed with what we're doing… I'll tell you about it once we're away from here."

"May I ask, where are we going?"

"You may," she gave him a flirty smile as she closed the door behind her and stood in front of him, waving a set of keys in front of him. "We're actually going to your cabin for the day."

"My cabin?"

"Yes, I thought that it was a place that has privacy, gives you a chance to relax away from the palace…you don't mind, do you?"

"No, I think it's a good idea."

"Well, we'd better get going if we're going to spend much of the day at the cabin… you don't mind driving again, do you? We're taking one of the palace cars, not yours, if you wish."

"No, I'm fine to drive, ma'am."

"Joseph." She paused halfway down the stairs and turned to him.

"Yes?"

"It's Clarisse."

"Aye, aye ma'am… Clarisse," and he gave her a more genuine smile, a smile that told Clarisse that he was starting to relax.

000

"Why didn't you choose to drive?" Joseph asked an hour into their trip, the atmosphere had been quiet in the cabin up until now but it hadn't been a tense atmosphere, instead a companionable silence between the two of them, a quality that had always been part of their relationship, something Clarisse had never questioned- she had always felt more comfortable with Joseph than anyone else, even her own husband.

"I suppose I could have, seeing that my license has never expired here… but I also haven't driven for a few years and I could be a little rusty with the road rules…"

"Nonsense, I'm sure you would be alright to drive," he said briskly.

"I suppose so… but I assume that my Head of Security wouldn't like me driving too much, particularly in Pyrus."

"He would have his reasons for that but I'm sure that he would let you drive out on the open road if you wished…"

"No, I think I'm perfectly happy being a passenger," she responded, snuggling down in her seat with a smug smile. "I'm not used to sitting in the front passenger seat, though, so I'm going to enjoy this."

"So…" Joseph said after a moment. "Are you going to tell me how you managed to get around Scott to organise this trip? I'm sure he would have put up a battle for it… he wasn't happy when we had our trip to the beach house."

"Actually no, he was quite reasonable about it and he was very helpful."

"Scott? Reasonable? Helpful?" Joseph couldn't help but sound surprised.

"Yes- Scott was reasonable and helpful. Why do you sound so surprised?"

"He can be rather… stubborn… at times."

"Hello pot," Clarisse teased gently. "Anyway, Scott was very helpful when we were planning this….

" _Scott?"  
_

 _"Yes ma'am? You wished to see me?" the younger man was standing in front of her desk and Clarisse removed her glasses, setting them on the desk and sitting back in her chair._

" _Yes, I did. I hear that you had quite an eventful morning in the security hub…. Charlotte told me," she added as she saw Scott open his mouth to question her._

" _It was nothing, ma'am…"  
_

 _"Joseph storming out of a security meeting would hardly qualify as nothing, would it, Scott?" Clarisse raised a quizzical eyebrow and Scott suddenly turned bashful.  
_

 _"No, ma'am. Sorry ma'am. I just wanted to reassure you that we're handling the situation well… there are no problems whatsoever."  
_

 _"I know that, I know that your team works well together and you all know what you're doing."_

" _Then…."  
_

 _"I wanted to see you Scott, because I have an idea about what will happen when Joseph returns… and I can say that it won't be termination."  
_

 _"Ma'am?" Scott was cautious but curious._

" _Do you remember a couple of months ago, when I was having a very, very bad day and Joseph suggested I have a day off?"  
_

 _"Yes…" Scott said slowly- what was she leading up to?  
_

 _"Well, I was thinking that Joseph has been quite stressed lately…."  
_

 _"That's for sure," Scott muttered under his breath before he realised that the Queen had stopped and stared at him and he remembered that he had interrupted her._

"… _Anyway," she continued after a moment. "I was thinking that he may need some time off as well… I know that that day made all the difference to me and I… I'm hoping that it could be of benefit to Joseph."  
_

 _"Ma'am?"  
_

 _"I'm suggesting that Joseph has a day off- tomorrow, if possible- and that he is sent away from the palace for the entire day."_

" _Where would he go?"  
_

 _"I'm thinking that maybe he could go to his cabin, just for a day, just to get away from here… and give you and your team a break, as I'm sure that this hasn't been the best time for you either," she gave him a slight, warm smile and Scott shrugged, a little uncomfortably._

" _We haven't really minded…."  
_

 _"Still, his behaviour hasn't been exactly professional and I'm sure it would have been difficult for you all."  
_

 _"We understand and we try to support him as much as possible… so," he decided to change the subject so Her Majesty didn't pursue it any further. "If he will be going to the cabin tomorrow… will you be going with him? Or did you want one of us to go with him instead?"  
_

 _"No offence intended Scott, but I don't think either you or any of your men would be who Joseph would want to see… Yes, I was planning on accompanying him, as a friend of course, and that's why I wanted to see you…."  
_

 _"You don't need my permission, ma'am," Scott said respectfully but, deep down, he was celebrating- he had always been suspicious about the feelings between Joseph and the Queen but this had all but confirmed that the Queen cared about him… much more than as an employee, but of course he couldn't say a word to anyone… not that he would….ever…_

" _I know I don't… but I would like you to agree with my plan."  
_

 _"It's fine with me, Your Majesty," Scott said finally. "I think it's a good idea and I think that Joseph does need a day off…."_

"He crumbled quite easily," Joseph chortled and Clarisse chuckled lightly.

"I wouldn't say that he crumbled… although," she allowed with a wry smile. "I thought it would be a little more difficult to convince him of the merits of this plan."

"But…."

"But I think, despite his big mouth, he was being respectful to me."

"More likely he was afraid of you," Joseph chuckled at the thought of his second in charge being scared of the Queen.

"I don't think so, I think he was being respectful… and you have to admit that you're pleased that Scott agreed to this trip."

"Alright, alright," he said after a moment and looked sideways to smile at her. "I am. I am glad that he agreed to this… and I'm glad that we're doing this."

000

Instead of stopping for breakfast (or even having a snack while 'on the road') they opted to drive straight through to the cabin.

"It's better to have another half hour or hour there then having to stop and eat," Clarisse had said and Joseph had to agree with her.

They finally drove down the tree lined dirt driveway leading towards the single level wooden cabin that Joseph had owned for years, and Joseph was momentarily surprised to see smoke coming out of the chimney.

"What's going on?"

"I had a few men come over and organise a few things… I hope that I'm not overstepping the mark," Clarisse said apologetically when the car came to a stop.

"No, no… I'm not offended at all," he turned to look at her, his eyes twinkling. "I very much appreciate it… and I'm glad that I don't have to pile firewood into the fireplace and light a fire… It's supposed to be my day off, after all!" he joked before the smile slid off his mouth and he looked at her soberly, reaching out with a hand and gently caressing her cheek, loving the way her skin felt underneath his hand, the way that her eyes closed momentarily at the touch.

Clarisse too felt the change in the car, the gentleness and tenderness in his caress, the intensity of his gaze (which remained even when she opened her eyes again) and for a moment she though he was going to lean over and kiss her before, to her disappointment, he dropped his hand and turned to get out of the car….


	7. Part Seven

_A/N: Thanks to my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

"I can't believe that you did this!" Joseph repeated himself as he unlocked the cabin door and stood back so that Clarisse could enter before him (a rush of warm air hitting him as he did so) and Clarisse turned almost as soon as she was inside with a quizzical look.

"Why would you be so surprised that I did something like this?" she queried as he carried the palace hamper in and through the open plan living room/dining room to set it down on the dining table.

"Well…"

"You were thoughtful enough to do something for me when I needed a break, so why shouldn't I have done something for you?"

"I… I don't know… maybe it could make me look weak in front of the other men."

"That is absolutely ridiculous," she snorted as she made her way down to join him at the table. "You would look weak if you had refused my suggestion… and don't you think that your men deserve a little break after the way you have been behaving for the last couple of months?" she said in a chiding tone, giving him a pointed look and Joseph sighed.

"Alright, you're right, I have been rather hard on them lately."

"'Rather hard'? I'm surprised that I didn't have a pile of complaints about you!"

"I wonder why they didn't."

"Because they like you and have a great deal of respect for you… which is partly why I had this idea and why Scott agreed to it so easily, so I wouldn't be complaining about how or why we did this," she said in a tone that brooked no argument, but when he looked up into her face, there was a warm, kind expression on it.

"I do have one question, if I may."

"Yes?" she looked a little wary.

"How did you get a copy of my keys?" he grinned at her and she blushed.

"I wasn't sneaky, if that's what you are implying… besides, didn't you give a set of keys to the men who are based near the Winter Palace? Just in case something happened?" she gave him an arch look and he laughed.

"That's right, I forgot about that… so no, you're not in trouble…. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Joseph, I thought you would never ask," she gave him a broad beam and he chuckled again, suddenly the lines of tension that had been clouding his expression over the past month or so disappeared, making him look more relaxed… and more like the man that she had fallen in love with.

0

"This is a fine place," Clarisse said after they had had a cup of tea (coffee, in Joseph's case) and several rounds of toast- Joseph had offered to cook something more substantial but Clarisse had turned him down.

"I'll be fine until lunch… besides, I usually only have toast for breakfast anyway."

"Maybe but that was a couple of hours ago… did you just say that you only had toast for breakfast?" his eyes narrowed imperceptibly and she nodded. "That doesn't sound very healthy for someone who is on the go most of the day, doing paperwork, attending parliament and going out in public."

"I thought we came out for the sake of your health, not for you to start worrying about mine!" she laughed lightly. "However, for your information, I usually have yoghurt and fruit as well… and I usually eat very well at lunchtime and at dinner time."

"Most of the time, when you're not poring over your desk and asking for sandwiches to be sent."

"Enough!" Clarisse laughed good-naturedly. "Today is about you, not me!"

After that discussion, they had ate in companionable silence and then, after Joseph insisted that there wasn't enough to wash up (or even turn on the dishwasher), they had settled on the long, black leather type sofa that stood at the other end of the room, the fireplace in front of the them and the television nearby, turned on but merely to make background noise.

"Thank you… not that I have the opportunity to use it very often."

"That's your choice, not mine."

"True… but I don't really need very much anyway- there's two bedrooms, a library or study, an en-suite in the main bedroom and another bathroom and this…" he waved around the room that encompassed the living room and the dining room, the kitchen in a nearby separate room.

"Nevertheless, it's very cosy… If I had the opportunity to have my own house, it would have to be something like this…"

"With a garden, of course," he said jokingly.

"Yes, a garden is a given…do you have a garden here?"

"There is supposedly a garden under the snow, but not as magnificent as the one at the palace in Pyrus. Well, there's supposed to be a garden… but I'm hardly the gardening type, never have been, especially since my knees are so painful…"

"You're going to have to do something about that eventually, you know. "

"I know, I know... anyway, I'm just a little surprised about what you said before... that you would prefer a house like this."

"Why?" she sounded a touch insulted. "I married into royalty, Joseph, I am not royalty."

"But you still came from a very aristocratic family before that…"

"Which is why, as the years have passed, I have come to appreciate that simplicity is the key. Both Phillipe and Pierre realised it long before I did, but… I always had the sense that possessions weren't as important as relationships… yes, Rupert gave me quite a few pieces of extraordinary jewellery over the years, but that wasn't what I truly wanted…" she trailed off, looking away for a moment and taking a deep breath in and turning back to him with a slight smile. "But, once again, you have distracted me from the main point of today…"

"Which is?"

"…The main point is to focus on you and what you need, and what I think you really need is someone to talk to."

"Oh? And you're the one I should talk to?" he tried to sound brash but Clarisse could hear the vulnerability in his tone.

"Yes. I think I am. I'm here not as your Queen but as Clarisse, your friend."

"And I appreciate that… but you have to trust me when I say that I'm going to be alright."

"I wish I could trust you on that," she said sympathetically and he looked at her with something akin to irritation in his eyes.

"You don't believe me?"

"No, I don't and, deep down, you know that I wouldn't have believed you anyway," she said matter of factly. "So…."

"So…" he echoed, half unwilling to say anything but also secretly relieved that she had been more astute that he had given her credit for.

"So….what happened yesterday? Not with the explosion in the staff room, I've heard about that… I'm more interested in what you did when you left palace- where did you go?"

"I drove to Mertz," he said simply.

"Mertz? Why Mertz?"

"I just found myself in the car, driving and I just wanted to get out of Pyrus and hoped that no one saw me and I suddenly found myself in Mertz."

"What did you do in Mertz?"

"Not a lot in particular- I wondered down the main street, looked into windows, particularly the real estate agents, had lunch at a local pub and that was that."

"You must have done more than that, if you gone until late in the evening."

"Well, I did also go out to the lake, to that camping site that Phillipe tried to insist that I visit… unfortunately, I never got the chance to do that and now I'm probably too old to go camping."

"Phillipe did enjoy camping very much," Clarisse's expression lightened as she remembered the many, many times when Phillipe had gone camping, something that had begun when he was younger and Rupert, surprisingly, had taken the boys camping overnight. It was an experience that he wasn't to repeat, but Phillipe, being the active, outdoorsy boy that he was, loved it and usually insisted on at least one camping trip every summer with his friends, Pierre and their security team. "I know he tried on several occasions to convince me to go camping…"

"And?"

"I may appreciate the simple life and not having so much, but camping… it's hardly something I would do."

"I can't imagine you camping either," he agreed, although there was a smile on his face.

"Thank you…. So what did you do out at the lake?"

"I didn't do anything, I just looked at the frozen lake and remembered what Phillipe had told me about his camping trips…."

"He was already so passionate about it, and I have to admit, it was something that I encouraged- he already had some many responsibilities, so many rules guiding his life and what he could and couldn't do, camping was one thing where he could actually be normal like everyone else and enjoy a relatively normal experience. I really loved seeing him when he came home from these trips, exhausted, filthy and usually catching a cold, but there was just something about even a few days away that gave him pleasure, and that's what I wanted for him."

Clarisse wasn't looking at him when she was saying that, so she gave a start when she felt him take her hand in his, but she didn't let go, squeezing back when he squeezed and he suddenly realised that he had probably given her a scare personally yesterday- she already had so many people leaving her life, his storming out of the security hub could have been considered as another case of abandonment (although Pierre and Phillipe hadn't left her by choice, but he had).

"I'm sorry about yesterday," he said suddenly and she turned to look at him.

"Why are you sorry?"

"I shouldn't have left….I shouldn't have abandoned my post," he almost mumbled and she sighed softly as she moved closer to him.

"I told you last night, as Queen, I wasn't angry at your decision, I was concerned that you weren't coming back… I couldn't afford to lose my best Head of Security."

"I'm not talking about abandoning my post with my Queen, I'm talking about abandoning my post as your friend… I shouldn't have left you alone."

"I wasn't alone."

"You were alone in the ways that counted."

"I still had Charlotte… but yes, you are right, you did leave me but I'm not angry about that either."

"You should be."

"I'm not, I'm more worried about you personally and professionally."

"I promised I would never leave my post," he continued, still mumbling and Clarisse was growing increasingly worried- she had never seen him this low before, not in a long time, if ever.

He had always presented himself as rough and tough, cool, calm and collected but today… he seemed to have given himself permission to be vulnerable, and she couldn't help but love him more for it.

"Joseph," she said softly, tugging gently on his shoulder, forcing him to lift his head up from where he was gazing at their entwined hands, so that his eyes met hers.

"I'm not angry at you, I'm worried about you. I care about you."

"I care about you too… which means that I shouldn't have left my post."

"But you came back, that's what matters, and I'm glad that you did."

"'I'm glad that I did too, even though I was convinced that you were going to fire me," he admitted with a soft chuckle and she joined him- their faces were so close, they were whispering to each other and almost painfully aware of the chemistry building, the atmosphere that had suddenly become charged with something like what they had experienced at the beach, in the lead up to their first kiss.

"I couldn't have fired you."

"Why not?"

"You were stressed, you're only human."

"As are you, which is why I hate it when people treat you as an Ice Queen or someone who is incapable of feeling or intelligence."

"Why do I have a feeling I know who you're referring to?" she teased with a low, throaty chuckle and he laughed.

"Of course you would know, it's quite easy to guess."

"I wonder what they would say about us now if they knew where we were and what we're doing?" she flirted.

"They'd say it's a shame…"

"Too bad I usually don't listen to their opinions about my private life."

"Which is just as well…" before he moved that slightest bit closer, their breaths almost intermingling before he pressed his lips down on hers and he felt a different sensation, one he hadn't felt for a couple of months but happily welcomed back again….

 _Bliss…. It was complete and utter bliss…_


	8. Part Eight

_A/N: Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

 _Bliss…. It was complete and utter bliss….it was almost as if he had returned home…._

"So," Clarisse said when they finally broke apart and she sat back against the sofa, somewhat dazed but clear headed enough to know her purpose for today- to get Joseph to talk about what was troubling. "Are you going to talk to me now or am I going to have to...'convince' you again?" her eyes twinkled playfully and Joseph couldn't help but laugh at her words.

The kiss had made him feel ever so much better, it reminded him that Clarisse still cared about him, that last October hadn't been a dream that he had dreamt up… that their relationship was actually real….

"If that's your technique for getting me to talk, I would be willing to undergo the 'convincing' again!"

"Nice try," she chuckled before she turned serious. "Again… are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Joseph gave a long, heavy sigh and sat back on the sofa, staring blankly into the fire for a moment as Clarisse watched him carefully.

"There's not one thing that has been troubling me… it just seems as if there has been so much going on the past few months, so many problems and pressing issues that I've had to deal with… and I have to admit that…I haven't had the opportunity to really relax and stop worrying about what has happened…"

"Such as? What issues have you had?"

"Well, that intern for starters…."

"Yes, he was a mistake, but not yours or Scott's- the young man obviously had a glamourized idea of what security and guarding the Queen was and I think he discovered that the reality was quite different. He was young, he didn't know what he was doing…"

"But… not knowing who the Prime Minister was! Not accompanying you on a public occasion…small mistakes were alright, yes he was young, but when those things happened… no, I knew that he wasn't meant to be in security."

"Yes, some of those instances weren't quite professional- and, as you recall, I gave you a dressing down because of it…"

"That was justified, I know it was."

"But it was mean to be professional, not personal- I knew that you personally had nothing to do with it but…."

"Again, it was justified- I shouldn't have sent him out on such an important assignment with very little training."

"Yes, maybe so… but you and Scott shouldn't continue to feel badly about him. It happened, he was here for a little while but that's all over now."

"I know Scott doesn't feel badly about it anymore…although a little guilty…"

"Then why are you still feeling badly about it?" she asked softly.

"Because… because," he looked down at his hands and then back into the fire. "I felt that I let you down."

"You didn't," she said immediately, reaching over and resting a hand on top of his. "I have never had any doubt about your abilities as my Head of Security. It was a mistake to have him as an intern, I'll admit that, but don't doubt your own abilities. I trust you, I always have and I always will and I'm fine, I'm safe and that's all that matters. Do you trust me when I say this?"

"I do," he finally looked back at her and she gave him a slight smile.

"Good. Then stop flaying yourself about this… it's done. What else is bothering you?"

"I don't want to seem as if I'm complaining, given that you have asked me time and again if I wanted time off, a holiday… but the last few months… it's been quite busy and…"

"You're overworked, I suspected as much."

"Not overworked but….there were quite a few people sick during the Christmas period and I had to take up the slack…. Again, I don't want you to think that I'm complaining…"

"You've never complained before and you're not complaining now… and, if you feel that you are, I think that it's justified….how many men were you short staffed by at Christmas and New Year?"

"Six, maybe seven…."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You already had enough on your plate… and we did get a few of the men from Lybitt and Mertz to come and fill in but… it's not the same as having your own men…."

"I see…but how badly overworked were you during that time?"

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, but after the past few months…"

"I see… well, maybe it is time, once we return back to the palace, that you start delegating tasks to Scott and some of your work colleagues… I know that you like doing everything yourself," she added as he opened his mouth to protest. "However, it is also important that you don't overwork yourself into the ground so you must allow others to help you as well… I suspect that you know that I'm correct when I say that you take too much work on yourself."

"Guilty as charged," Joseph said with a wry grin. "Alright, alright- when we get back, I will start delegating tasks to my colleagues."

"I will be making sure that you do so," she said sternly but her eyes were twinkling.

"Thank you."

"What for?

"For caring… and listening."

"Why shouldn't I? Even if we weren't friends and… exploring another side of our relationship," she added haltingly, blushing at her words. "I would still be concerned with your state of mind and would want to know how I could help my Head of Security."

"You would?"

"I would," she affirmed, a little surprised that he would question her as such. "I'm not as hard a taskmaster as Rupert was, although his method must have worked as well as he inspired such loyalty from his men as well as the members of parliament."

"That doesn't mean that his method of inspiring loyalty…."

"How did you find him? Before you became my personal bodyguard, that is."

"Considering I was your personal bodyguard almost from the beginning, I spent very little time under his security team, although I did find that he encouraged a camaraderie with his men that I found a little… disconcerting."

"Disconcerting, how?" Clarisse was curious, although she suspected she knew what he was going to say.

"I think you know what I'm going to say…" he began hesitantly. "They kept his secrets, including the women that he visited and hence… he kind of encouraged friendships with them, knowing that they wouldn't say anything…he kind of encouraged of a boy's club."

"Yes, I thought that that would happen… while we shared our own security team, I found the men that were his, who accompanied me occasionally out in public… they were rather familiar with me, as if they didn't respect me, which of course they didn't."

"Which was their loss… and why do you think I got rid of most of those men when the King passed away? Although, by then, there were two very separate security teams with their own Head of Security."

"I wondered about that… thank you, although I could have handled them."

"You may have, I wouldn't have," he scowled at her and she laughed.

"You're very protective of me, aren't you?" she teased and he only moved closer to her.

"You have no idea how protective I am of you," he almost murmured.

"I have some idea…" she said with a smile before he tipped her chin up and gently kissed her again, the kiss deepening a little before Clarisse pulled away again.

"This is not getting us anywhere."

"Oh, I disagree," Joseph argued before leaning over and kissing her again. "I feel so much better now…"

"Good," Clarisse pulled away slightly and looked into his eyes. "Truly, do you feel better?"

"I do… I always feel better when I'm around you….I guess…" he trailed off.

"What?"

"I suppose…. I felt the emotional separation badly…."

"Emotional separation?" Clarisse looked puzzled.

"We've barely seen each other privately in the past few months….professionally, yes, but personally…."

"Oh, I see," Clarisse suddenly looked understanding.

"I know neither of us are ready to declare our true feelings for each other, but I have to admit… I felt jealous whenever I saw you dancing with a member of parliament… yes, irrational, I know," he continued, not looking at her but sensing that she wanted to interrupt him. "But…."

"It may be irrational, but it's also very sweet," she suddenly interrupted him, resting her cheek against his shoulder. "I didn't realise…"

"How could you? You're always surrounded by people and busy working… and my jealousy is just complicating matters between us…"

"How so?" she pulled away and looked at him in bewilderment.

"Well… as I said before, we're not anywhere near declaring our feelings for each other…"

"But we do know we have deep feelings for each other," Clarisse said quietly. "Just because they are not said doesn't mean that we don't know that they're there… and jealousy is one such emotion… I get jealous too, at times."

"You do? About me?"

"Yes, about you," she gave him a small smile. "You have no idea how many women watch you, do you?"

"When do they watch me?" his bewilderment was growing- he had no idea what Clarisse was talking about.

"Whenever you're at my side, escorting me somewhere… I see their looks and I also sense their looks as well…. You're a very handsome man, my dear Joseph, and I'm sure you have a line of women waiting for you."

"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm sure you're wrong- besides, if you are right…"

"And I am," Clarisse said knowingly.

"IF you are right, I don't look at them, I can't see them…besides, I'm sure most of them are the unhappy wives of men of parliament."

"You're very modest."

"I am," he nodded, looking modest before he chuckled. "I am indeed. So, what now?"

"Have you told me all that has been bothering you?" she looked at him intently and he nodded.

"I have, and now I'm feeling foolish that I've made much about some silly issues that I could have dealt with a lot earlier than before."

"Don't feel foolish, you needed to talk to someone, gain a little perspective, which I assume that you have now."

"I do… I just feel…"

"Don't," she pressed her hand on top of his again. "Don't, you're not that, I promise."

"Thank you."

"That's what friends are for," Clarisse said lightly, the tension in her stomach easing now that Joseph looked so much more relaxed than before. "Actually, I have a confession to make to you as well." She suddenly turned coy, looking down at her hands for a moment, piquing his interest.

"Oh? What's that?"

"You were talking about missing spending some time with me, privately?"

"Yes…."

"Well, I have to admit that I have missed that too."

"I wouldn't have been able to tell that."

"It's the truth…"

"Truly?" he moved closer to her again and she nodded, looking back up at him again.

"Truly."

"Then that definitely makes me feel better," he said in a low voice before leaning over and kissing her again….


	9. Part Nine

_A/N: Two chapters in three days, not bad! I'm hoping to wrap this story up in the next chapter or so (I'm sure Joseph will be relaxed enough!) and develop other ideas!_

 _Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me_

"So, what do we do now?" Joseph asked once they had pulled away and they were leaning back on the sofa, Joseph's arm around her and they were both gazing into the fire.

"I'm not quite sure."

"What?!" He pulled away and looked away at her with mock horror and disapproval. "I thought you were organised! You whisked me away from the palace for the day and yet… you don't have anything prepared?"

"Would you like to go for a run?" she teased and he laughed.

"I think not, not in the snow or with my knees the way they are!"

"Are your knees playing up again?" Clarisse suddenly turned concerned. "Maybe I shouldn't have… you drove all day yesterday and now…"

"Clarisse, Clarisse!" he took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. "I'm perfectly alright, my knees aren't giving me the slightest problems at the moment… I was just joking with you…I wouldn't mind going for a walk, though."

"That would be nice… if you wanted me to accompany you," she gave him a flirtatious smile and he laughed.

"I would be careful otherwise I might have to kiss you again," he threatened good-naturedly and she quickly dove out of the way by standing up.

"Oh no you don't, I know that you would like to do that… but a walk sounds appealing."

"Yes, it does to me too… and hopefully it's not too cool outside."

"It shouldn't be."

The air still had a touch of crispness as they stepped out of the wooden cabin and onto the porch, both of them wearing the heavy coats they had brought with them, but the sun was shining thinly through the grey clouds, onto the melting snow, revealing the green of the grass underneath.

"Where shall we go?" she glanced around- his cabin backed onto a deep wood forest, making the area seem cosy and even more isolated, and while the snow was melting and there was an obvious path that led into the forest, Clarisse couldn't help but shiver.

"Are you warm enough?" Joseph noticed her shiver immediately. "We don't have to go for a walk if you're too cold."

"I'm fine, I'm warm enough and I do want to go for a walk- I was just asking where shall we go?"

"Not into the forest, I think," he had seen her glance almost apprehensively in that direction. "It's quite nice in spring and summer, but in winter…."

"I'm not scared," she said indignantly.

"I never said you were- but even I wouldn't want to go into the woods in winter… we can walk up the driveway, towards the road, if you wish."

"That sounds like a nice idea," before she slipped her arm through his and, after walking around the car, they began their walk. "You should have a garden," Clarisse declared decisively and Joseph couldn't help but laugh.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, your advice is well appreciated."

"I didn't mean it as an insult!" Clarisse said, mortified that she had been so blunt but Joseph shrugged, not bothered.

"I know you didn't, but I'm never here enough to start a garden, let alone possess the interest or the passion in doing as much."

"I could send out some of the palace gardeners, if you wish," she offered and he chuckled but she noticed his shoulders stiffen slightly and she realised that she had insulted him again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that… if you don't want a garden, that's fine with me as well… I just thought if you needed some assistance…."

He stopped and turned to her with a gentle look.

"Thank you- and I mean it. I do appreciate your assistance and your very generous offer but, as I said before, it wouldn't be feasible… I'm not here enough."

"You could be, though."

"Are you trying to give me a hint… or a holiday?" he laughed out loud and she blushed deeply.

"No… no…."

"It's a joke, Clarisse, a joke," he tilted her chin up and gazed warmly into her blue eyes.

"Oh…" her mouth formed the word and he was tempted to kiss her again, but he didn't want to push her too far so, instead, he turned back towards the path and continued walking.

"My mother loved to garden," he said after a moment. "She used to grow some of the most beautiful flowers in her garden…"

"Really? I would have liked some hints."

"You don't need hints, you possess the same talent as she did."

"With a great deal of hard work as well."

"Exactly, that's what she said. Anyway, my brother and I often had to help in the garden… I'd say that's where my lack of interest in gardening started."

"It's a pity, gardening can be quite therapeutic."

"For you, maybe."

"Well… what do you do to relax? What do you find therapeutic after a long day in the security hub?"

"I often play cards with the other men… I like reading as well…and, before my knees started to go, I really enjoyed running… just getting out in the fresh air, away from the palace, the security team…"

"Me?" she teased and he chuckled as he stopped and looked at her again.

"Not necessarily… I never had to escape you… except when you were being particularly stubborn or difficult."

"I was never stubborn or difficult," she looked at him innocently. "I think my Head of Security was a bit stubborn himself at times."

"Touché, Your Majesty, touché!" he laughed and she joined in with a chuckle.

"Phillipe and Pierre loved running as well," she said reflectively. "Phillipe in particular… as he grew and got faster, he gave his security detail a merry chase."

"I remember that… they came to complain to me and I told them…"

"What did you tell them?"

"I told them to get fitter and faster," and both of them laughed again.

"Well, that wasn't very nice of Phillipe to deliberately do that… and I know he did that on purpose on occasion, and I told him off for it as well… but he just laughed and kept doing it."

"Well, I guess he learned his tricks from his mother."

"I never ran away from my security detail. Never," she turned to him indignantly and he gave her a look.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Clarisse…." he continued to give her a look and Clarisse finally had the grace to blush.

"Alright, on occasion I tried to… but it didn't work well, did it?" she gave him her own look and he shrugged.

"I was sworn to protect the Queen and protect the Queen I did," he said formally.

"Traitor," she muttered to herself but then he could see the smile creeping over her mouth.

"So, if Phillipe was more into running and sport….what was Pierre interested in?"

"He was always more serious than Phillipe and preferred reading, writing and studying… but I recall that he enjoyed playing tennis, soccer and some basketball…"

"Basketball? Really?"

"Occasionally, particularly when he was younger. He also enjoyed watching some of them on television… oh, and he was exceptional at swimming… Phillipe hated that."

"Yes, he was always competitive on the sporting field," Joseph agreed, remembering the times when the young princes had fought, Phillipe insisting that Pierre had cheated and vice versa, something he relayed to Clarisse moments later.

"Yes, well all children do that, don't they? Didn't you and your brother do that?"

"Oh yes, all the time… although, I have to admit that my brother was usually right, I did cheat on more than one occasion."

"Phillipe was the same, but Rupert always believed him over Pierre… poor Pierre," she said with a sigh and Joseph sighed as well.

They continued their work in a companionable silence, something that they had always been able to enjoy during their friendship- they didn't always have to speak, they enjoyed the silence and knew that if they had to talk, they could.

It was something that Clarisse had never experienced with Rupert and definitely something Joseph hadn't experienced with any of his past relationships and it was a quality that had convinced him long ago that his relationship with Clarisse was something different to anything else he had experienced, and it was worth pursuing, although he knew that there had been a connection between them, even from when they first met.

"Penny for our thoughts?" Clarisse asked gently and he shrugged.

"Nothing important."

"I see," was all she said- she didn't believe him, she could see that he had been thinking about something serious, but she didn't want to push.

Finally, they reached the end of the driveway- a trip that had gone faster than she had thought, but they had been talking and not aware of their surroundings- and she looked up and down the empty black road curiously.

"Do you know if you get much traffic up and down here?"

"Not much… hence, the appeal of the location of the cabin."

"Have you always been so isolationist?" she looked at him curiously and he shook his head.

"Not always."

"When did that change?"

"When I came to work in the palace and… constantly being surrounded by men, women…"

"Yes, it can get a little much," she agreed. "Why do you think I always tried to have a daily walk in the garden, simply just to get away for even ten minutes."

"That was very sensible of you."

"And this is very sensible of you… but won't you ever get lonely?"

"How can I get lonely when I'm never here?" he laughed openly.

"What about when you retire?"

"When I retire… maybe I will purchase another property somewhere and split my time between the two… but that's something that's hopefully a long way down the track," he said briskly, looking back up and down the road again before glancing at his watch.

"Would you like some lunch, Clarisse?"

"I would…"

"Well, by the time we get back to the cabin, it will be time for lunch… and I assume that your little assistants left food for there for lunch?" he teased as they turned back and she blushed again.

"I'm sure they would have."

"Good… then let's go and have some lunch and then relax before the fire."

"That sounds like a good plan."


	10. Part Ten

_A/N: Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me_

"This is nice," Clarisse said a little while later as, while she set the table and brought different parts of their meal to the table, Joseph was in the kitchen, chopping up salad and finishing grilling the chicken for their lunch.

"What is?" he asked as he came to the table with the grilled chicken and the salad bowl, setting them down on the table before coming around and holding Clarisse's chair out for her.

"This. Us," she said, waving at the table between them. "Just doing something as normal as preparing lunch together… I haven't had that opportunity in years."

"It's not all that wonderful."

"You're probably blasé about it because you have to prepare your own meals…" although she didn't think that he had prepared his own meals for a long time, courtesy of the palace chefs, not that she held it against him, he worked hard and deserved to eat the best food.

"Well, only when I'm not working… if I am…"

"Which is all of the time," Clarisse smiled at him.

"True… but if I am working, I am very fortunate enough to have my meals prepared by some of the best chefs in Genovia… and their food is much, much better than anything I could prepare."

"I don't know about that," she said after she took a bite of the chicken. "I know that you can cook and that you're quite a good one…"

"Where did you hear that?"

"The maids… they know everything," she looked at him meaningfully and he chuckled.

"Those dratted maids," he mock complained, although he had to admit that they came in useful at times, particularly in regards to Her Majesty and her doings (particularly her moods). "They have to know everything."

"Takes one to know one," Clarisse teased. "You are just as bad… and I assume that you get some of your information from my maids."

"I wouldn't say that," he frowned.

"I would, though… and I don't mind that you get information about me from them… as long as that information doesn't go any further than you."

"Of course it wouldn't go any further than me," he looked slightly insulted. "You can trust me on that."

"Indeed I can," she gave him a warm smile and it was his turn to flush and look down at his plate. "Anyway, as I was saying, this food is delicious… and just as good, if not better than the chef's food."

"I wouldn't tell them that… and I have to disagree with you on that. They cook very well for the Queen."

"Exactly, they cook for the Queen. Yes, they do cook delicious food and I'm very appreciative of what they do… but sometimes… sometimes… even just a simple grilled chicken salad such is this is what I want."

"Then I'm pleased that I've been able to help you today."

"Even though it's your day off… you've driven up here and prepared our lunch… "

"It's been a great day off, and I've even found driving and cooking quite relaxing… as well as other things…" he looked at her meaningfully and she blushed.

"I was glad to be of assistance," she finally murmured in response and they ate in silence for a while before he decided to break the silence by changing the subject.

"So. Now it's time to talk about you," he said decisively and she looked up in surprise.

"What?"

"Now it's time to talk about you. We've talked about you, we've got a few solutions that I plan to put into action when we return to the palace… now it's time to talk about you and what you have been doing."

"You know what I've been doing…."

"Yes, on the schedule but I want you tell me about what you actually did… how you've been doing."

"I've been doing fine," Clarisse said simply, embarrassed that he kept turning the conversation towards her but appreciative that he wanted to know about her life- she had to admit that their respective lives were as different as day and night, and their only shared common experience was their burgeoning relationship.

"Really? You've been resting well, getting enough sleep, eating enough?"

"I would have thought you would have noticed the above if I hadn't been," she chortled.

"Well, I would have… but, as I would have to admit, I have been more than a little preoccupied as late."

"I've noticed… no, I've been alright. Yes, I have been sleeping and eating well… you sound like my doctor…"

"Weren't you just as worried about me a couple of hours earlier?" he looked at her pointedly and she nodded.

"Alright, alright, you've made your point."

"We are allowed to care about each other, remember? We're in a relationship, are we not?"

"I... I… I suppose we are," she stammered, blushing a deep red again- she knew that they were in a relationship, if they weren't, she would hardly been letting him kiss her, but… she still wasn't quite sure whether she was ready to declare it openly. "I… I…."

"I know," he leaned over and rested a hand on top of hers. "I know that you're still not sure about what's happening, or that you're ready to admit it, even to yourself, I know that and I can wait…but I was just trying to make the point that we are friends as, as such, we can worry about each other."

"True."

"So, since I haven't been quite good company in the last few months, I want to know how you are and how things are with you."

"Honestly, they're fine," she shrugged lightly and he looked at her pointedly. "Really. Yes, there will always be members of parliament that will cause me problems- although they weren't so bad during the Christmas period just gone…"

"I'm glad of that because, if I had had to deal with them in my mood, I probably would have been fired."

"Which is why you were more than a little busy in the security hub," she said with her own pointed look. "I didn't need any more complications than I already had."

"Are you saying that….?"

"I'm not saying that I wouldn't have appreciated you coming to my defence, that's what I always appreciate about you, your willingness to do that… but it would have attracted attention to the fact that you were stressed and acting less as a HOS but more like a jealous boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? You're calling me boyfriend?" he teased and she nodded. "Well, if that's the case, then you're my girlfriend…."

"Girlfriend?" she wrinkled her nose in disgust, feeling nervous again at the fact that they were quantifying their relationship by defining the titles they would inhabit.

"I'm not sure of the sound of that… I'm too old to be considered a girlfriend."

"Just as I am too old to be considered a boyfriend… but if the title fits," he winked at her and she couldn't help but chuckle.

"We'll see," was all she said and Joseph decided not to push the situation.

"So, what do we do now?" he inquired as they sat back in their chairs, their plates empty.

"You're really full of questions today, aren't you Mr Head of Security?" Clarisse teased lightly. "I knew that I liked to know everything that was going to happen but I never thought that it would apply to you as well."

"I guess that means we have something else in common…."

"Which is what?"

"We're both control freaks," and they both burst out laughing at his words. "Of necessity, of course."

"Of course. I wouldn't mind to have a little more leisure time and have less work to do."

"As would I."

"Hence today."

"Hence today… although I have to feel sorry for the men back at the palace, they're not having a day off."

"On the contrary, they are."

"They are?" Joseph looked puzzled.

"Yes, they are… you're not there," she joked with a sly smile and Joseph couldn't help but roar with laughter.

"True enough. They did deserve a day off…"

"That they did."

"So?"

"So… what?"

"What are we going to do now?"

"I have one suggestion…."

"What?"

"Washing up!" she suggested with a bright smile.

0

"I've never had time to do this either," Clarisse said twenty minutes later as, after they finished the washing up, they curled back up on the sofa in front of the fire and Joseph flicked on the television with the remote resting on the table beside him. "I do watch a little at night but I much prefer reading…"

"Hopefully not paperwork…"

"Sometimes… and I know you don't approve of that," Clarisse added hastily, seeing his mouth open, about to register his disapproval. "But sometimes it's necessary… although I will reassure you that I would much prefer reading a book rather than paperwork."

"Yes, I would prefer to do that as well."

"Do you watch much television?"

"A bit, in the security hub, when it's quiet and…"

"When I've retired for the night," Clarisse finished with a smile.

"Yes, then too… and I occasionally watch the set in my room when I'm fed up with dealing the men… but I much prefer the peace and quiet of a dark room when I go to bed. I spend enough time talking and watching other people, at night, I would prefer to just shut down and not worry about anything at all."

"That's what I try to do as well, but sometimes it's difficult…"

"It would be difficult for you, you are the leader of a nation and have much on your mind."

"Yes… I can know understand how Rupert found it difficult to sleep… he often spent late nights in his study and then usually only had a few hours' sleep, I don't know how he did it."

"Neither do I, but it seemed to work for him."

"It doesn't work for me, though."

"Why should it? You're a different person and have different needs to him."

"Still…."

"Don't compare yourself to him, you are nothing like him," he said definitely, reaching over and squeezing her hand tightly. "In no way, shape or form are you like Rupert… may he rest in peace," he added almost grudgingly, although Clarisse never expected him to do as everyone else did and add that phrase every time they mentioned the late King's name.

"Well, one major difference is that I'm a woman," she said flippantly, but the expression in his eyes didn't change one iota.

"And a much, much better ruler than His Majesty."

"That's debatable," she responded, still trying to be flippant- she could sense the tension in the room and she was trying to diffuse it.

"DON'T say that about yourself," he almost growled as he moved closer to her, her hand still firmly squeezed in his hand. "Don't you dare…"

"Joseph…" she said almost breathlessly.

"Clarisse…" he responded, inching ever so closer to her and she knew that he was going to kiss her again and that there was nothing she could do to stop it… not that she wanted to- Joseph was the only man she had always felt powerfully attracted to (she had been fond of Rupert but what they had shared was nothing compared to this), a sensation that she had never experienced before and while it frightened her, it was also exhilarating… for once, she wasn't Queen, she was simply Clarisse, a woman… a woman in love with a man… she was in love with Joseph, she knew in that heartbeat and she knew that she would never love as much as she loved him…..


	11. Part Eleven

_A/N: An unexpected twist but definitely wrapping it up in the next chapter!_

 _Thanks for my readers and reviewers- you all rock!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

The afternoon seemed to fly by, much to Joseph and Clarisse's surprise. After their moment, they had avoided more sensitive subjects (and he sensed that discussing her own life was off limits, considering the vehemence with which she had argued "it's your day" although she had weakened since that earlier pronouncement) and much of the afternoon had been spent in companionable silence, watching television and avoiding the tension that was in the room, tension that had developed in regards to the realisation that their relationship had progressed further since October and that it wouldn't be too long until decisions and commitments would have to be made.

As the afternoon sun began to lower over the horizon, the living room natural light began to dim, Joseph glanced at his watch and sighed- it was time to get back to reality… in other words, the palace.

"Clarisse?"

"Mmm?" she hummed almost sleepily from the other end of the sofa, her head resting heavily on her hand- she had been worried about Joseph and his state of mind but she had also discovered that today had had its own benefits for her as well- that she had had time to relax and forget, for even a day, the responsibilities that were awaiting her back at the palace.

"I had to break this up but we're going to have to start making a move if we're going to get back to the palace before midnight and you have time to prepare for tomorrow…"

"There's nothing particularly important occurring tomorrow, just the same old paperwork… I can hardly wait…" she said sarcastically but there was something else in her tone that made Joseph sit up alertly.

"What are you saying?"

 _Surely she couldn't be suggesting what he thought she was suggesting…_

"Do YOU have anything important happening?"

"No…"

"Then…" Clarisse paused for a moment before taking a deep breath in. "I think… we should stay here tonight."

There was a long silence as Joseph stared at his boss- Her Majesty Queen Clarisse- in disbelief… had Clarisse REALLY suggested that they spent the **night** here, rather than return to the palace? Here, just the two of them, alone? Impossible… it couldn't, it wouldn't be allowed…

"You seem rather bewildered," Clarisse's voice broke into his thoughts and Joseph was surprised to discover that she was smirking.

"Your Majesty…."

"Clarisse."

"Clarisse… I don't see how your suggestion is possible… we may not have anything important back at the palace but… it's not appropriate…"

"Joseph, you're still so serious," she pouted playfully at him.

"I may be that but I'm also concerned about your reputation- I know what people would say if they knew….

"You dear, sweet man," she said affectionately, reaching out and brushing her hand against his cheek. "I appreciate your concern but… have you considered the fact that neither of you have spent a decent amount of time away from the palace in years? I'm used to it- the palace is my home- but you…"

"It's my home too, in most ways…"

"But it's also still your work place and you need a break, even it's overnight."

"I had a break yesterday."

"But not enough of one."

"Are you my therapist now?" he joked.

"Yes I am… not only am I worried about your well-being as your boss but, more importantly, as someone who cares about you."

She couldn't bring herself to call herself his 'girlfriend' (although it was strictly true) or openly commit to him and she didn't know why- she loved him, and really cared about him… but she was also scared about making a commitment, declaring herself…but she wanted to, very much…she just didn't know what was holding her back….

"Thank you," he said simply, reaching over and squeezing her hand. "I am grateful… but as your HOS… I don't approve, this hasn't been thought out properly and if Scott knew… I'm sure he wouldn't have approved of this trip at all."

"But it's still an idea that I can enforce," she gave him an imperious look- she was still his Queen, no matter what.

"And… are you going to enforce it or not?" he teased back and there was a long pause as she looked at him with twinkling eyes.

"I think… I will…."

"Clarisse…"

"Joseph," she mimicked his tone.

"What about Scott? He's not going to approve."

"Call him and find out," she sat back with a smug smile and Joseph reached for his mobile, saying: "I think I will…"

Less than ten minutes later, he pressed the 'end call' button and turned to Clarisse with a stupefied expression.

"What did he say?" she queried although, judging by his expression, she knew what Scott had essentially said, having pre-arranged it the day before…

" _Are you sure about this, ma"am?"  
_

 _"I am. If Joseph's in the mood you say he is, I think a complete twenty four hour period away from the palace would be necessary."  
_

 _"And you…."_

" _I'll be fine. I trust Joseph and I'm sure we'll be fine."  
_

 _"If you're sure…" Scott began uncertainly._

" _I am," she was definite._

"Well?" Clarisse persisted and Joseph looked at her pointedly.

"He obviously knew what was going on…"

"Hence it wasn't not thought out. So, what did he say?"

"You heard the conversation."

"It was rather one sided, I only heard what you said… so?"

" _Are you sure?"  
_

 _"Yes. Her Majesty and I arranged it yesterday."  
_

 _"And you are alright with that."  
_

 _"I am not going to argue with our boss- this was her idea, I will remind you."  
_

 _"And…"  
_

 _"And yes, I approve- not only for your sake but for ours as well! You're both perfectly safe out there- the other team is out there as well… and," Scott paused for a moment and then continued, sounding surprisingly serious. "Boss, you need this," he added quietly. "You do and you know it- you haven't spent ANY time away from the palace in years. It's only one night but I will think it will help you."  
_

 _"But…"  
_

 _"Joe, you need this. I think you, me and the Queen all know this but it was Her Majesty really suggested this… and I agree with her."  
_

 _"But…"  
_

 _"No arguments, it's already been decided," before his voice turned jovial. "Enjoy the rest of your day off, Boss… and make sure that Her Majesty is back by two…" before he almost cheekily ended the call, leaving Joseph stupefied…_

"Well?" Clarisse repeated for a third time.

"Well… I guess we're staying here tonight."

"Good," Clarisse beamed at him, and they felt both excited and apprehensive course through them. "Good."

00000

There was a slight awkwardness between them when they were making their dinner- Joseph had asked about, trying to remain 'professional' about 'sleeping arrangements' and Clarisse had again lightly brushed off his concerns.

"Again, I have thought ahead with this and we both have had clothes packed for us."

"You really have thought of everything?" Joseph couldn't help but marvel and Clarisse looked at him calmly.

"Joseph, I am Queen and I always have to be in control and think of everything… this was a very easy decision to make."

"Even if I hadn't approved of it?" Joseph turned and looked at her pointedly and she matched him look for look.

"Yes, even then… I know you better than you think and I knew you needed some space from the palace," she said evenly before leaving the room with the plates for the table and Joseph knew that he had offended her.

"It's not that I'm not grateful for this, truly I am," he said as he followed her. "But… with your life, I need to be considered in any decision that affects you."

"Even if it's to benefit you?" she turned to look at him and he could see her eyes turning icy.

"Yes, even then… and while I appreciate today, I'm not sure staying tonight was the best idea for you…."

"Fine," she slammed the plates down and whirled around to start storming towards the door, reaching for her coat. "We'll drive back tonight, if that's what you wish."

"That's not what I wish, not at all," he said firmly, striding over and standing in front of the coatrack, preventing her from grabbing her coat. "I just want you to know that sometimes ideas such as these, well intentioned as they are, can often be the wrong ones. But we're not going anywhere tonight," he said as he gently pulled her hand away from her coat and squeezed it firmly. "Now that we've got the opportunity, it would be a shame to waste it," he gave her a small smile and, after a moment, she returned it.

They met another moment of awkwardness after dinner when it came to sleeping arrangements, with Joseph trying to insist on her sleeping in his main en-suite and Clarisse defiantly turning him down.

"I'm much happier in the guest room, thank you for the offer."

"But my bedroom would be much more comfortable…"

"The spare bedroom looks comfortable enough for me, and I'm not going to change my mind," she looked at him with an even look and Joseph had no choice but to acquiesce to her wishes.

"You're stubborn," he muttered under his breath and Clarisse smiled triumphantly at him.

"That's a little rich coming from you."

"Touché, Your Majesty," Joseph couldn't help but grin back at her.

0

Once their sleeping arrangements had been decided (and Joseph was still arguing about the fact that Clarisse was insisting on sleeping in the 'guest room', saying it was inappropriate) and dinner had been cleaned up, Joseph served two steaming cups of hot chocolate in front of the fire, the television blaring in the background.

"I haven't had hot chocolate since I was a little girl…no, wait, I did have it with the boys when they were young," Clarisse sat back on the sofa, the mug in her hands.

"I have to admit that it's been a long time since I enjoyed hot chocolate, but I was thinking that since it was a winter's evening and we were sitting in front of the fireplace… what better a beverage should we be drinking?"

"An excellent idea."

They both sipped the hot liquid in their respective mugs for a time, appreciating the background noise from the television and the crackling of the fire, before Clarisse decided to break the silence.

"So… are you feeling better?"

"I am. Much better," he gave her a warm smile. "Thank you so very much for today, it is greatly appreciated."

"As I said before, you helped me through a difficult time… today was my way of paying you back and making you feel better."

"I hope we're not going to try and pay back favours that we think that we should."

"It's nothing like that… I could see that you were tired and stressed and I wanted to do something to alleviate that."

"And I appreciate that."

"So… what will happen when we return to the palace?" she looked at him pointedly and he had to chuckle ruefully.

"I knew that we hadn't finished our discussion from earlier…" but Clarisse was still looking at him seriously.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Have you thought about what you're going to do when you get back to the palace? Are you going to start delegating tasks to some of your team mates, so that you're not doing everything yourself? Are you going to start training some of the men so that they can step up and prevent you from attending all functions that I go to?"

"That won't be necessary," he began but Clarisse continued to speak over him.

"Are you seriously going to have something done about your knees? I know that you're arguing that you can handle things by yourself, but it would be better to get something done before it gets worse."

"Aye, aye, ma'am!" he joked, mock saluting her but he could see that she was serious and he suddenly turned serious himself. "Alright, I will go and see a doctor when I can…"

"Which will be as soon as possible, within the next few weeks if possible."

"Yes…."

"Will you be delegating more tasks to your own team? I know that you like to know and do everything but you also need to consider your own needs…"

"Yes, I will be delegating to my other team members when I get back… seriously," he added as he looked at her with a serious expression.

"And the training…."

"Yes, we're due for some professional development and I'll insist that everyone attends, not just leaving it to Scott and me."

"Good," she nodded approvingly and Joseph couldn't help but laugh.

"Are you satisfied now?"

"I am," she looked at him evenly. "This is not only my concern for you, Joseph, personally but, professionally, I need to know that I can rely on you, no matter what."

"You can, you can trust me on that," he responded just as seriously and took her hand in his and raising it to his lips. "You can."

"Good."

A little while later, Clarisse stifled a yawn behind her lips and Joseph instantly noted it.

"Time for bed, I see," he said as he set his cup down on the coffee table and slowly stood up (he was going to have to have his knees seen to sooner rather than later) before turning to help her up.

"Yes… it has been rather a busy day…" she agreed as she almost half stumbled up and Joseph immediately took her arm in his.

"It has, but it has been very, very relaxing…"

"I'm glad," she looked at him with a smile and reached over to caress his cheek. "I'm glad, very, very glad."


	12. Part Twelve

_A/N: COMPLETE! Finally! Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock and I'll be back soon!_

 _The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!_

The next morning, Joseph was awake much earlier than he had expected (but back at the palace, seven in the morning was nothing as he was usually up and about by five, getting ready for the day) and he was momentarily disoriented ( _where was he? Clearly, not at the palace_ ) before he remembered where he was and why and what had happened the previous day… _yesterday… Her Majesty… Clarisse had arranged his own 'day off', away from the palace at his cabin…._

THAT he had accepted and expected, but the additional idea of spending the night at the cabin (which she had sprung on him much later in the day, just as he was making noises about returning to the palace) that was just inappropriate, particularly as there would only been a wall between them, particularly with their ever deepening feelings for each other, but she had seemed unbothered… and, even more surprisingly, Scott had agreed with the idea as well…

" _Why shouldn't he have agreed to this?" she had looked puzzled._

" _You know why. You're Queen of Genovia and I'm your bodyguard. Most people already suspect that we're closer than the average queen and personal bodyguard but this…"  
_

 _"They don't know that we've even left the palace, let alone that we are here… just the two of us," she said lightly and Joseph scowled at her._

" _You know, you're not taking this very seriously," and the smile on her face suddenly slid off her face as she turned to look at him._

" _I am taking this very seriously. Very seriously, Joseph Bonnell, and I don't ever want you to think that I'm not taking my own reputation seriously- I have been doing that for a very, very long time and I don't think it's fair that you're accusing me of not taking my own reputation seriously and I don't appreciate it continually being thrown back in my face,," she said evenly and Joseph suddenly felt ashamed of himself._

" _Sorry," he mumbled. "I know I keep going on about this but I want you to be safe."  
_

 _"I AM safe," her expression softened. "I AM because you're here… and I know this is a highly unusual situation but… I thought that you would appreciate even one night away from the palace."  
_

 _"I do, truly I do," he said, reaching over and squeezing her hand gently. "Thank you for the brilliant idea."  
_

When they retired for the evening, Joseph again tried to insist on Clarisse taking his bedroom but she only shook her head definitely with an equally definite "No" before, after lightly kissing him on the cheek, she entered her bedroom, turning in the doorway to give him a warm smile. "Good night."

"Good night."

He wasn't quite sure whether she had a restless night or not, but his night had hardly been restful, Joseph tossing and turning impatiently, knowing that Her Majesty was only a bedroom over and, with his ever deepening feelings for her, it was difficult not to climb out of bed, leave his room and stand in front of her door before knocking on it… but he also knew that he wasn't going to push her, this was a delicate stage of their relationship and he couldn't push her…

He was up and about shortly after waking up- he was used to being up and about early, thanks to his routine back at the palace- and he has just stoked up the fire (only a little, since they would have to go almost as soon as they had breakfast) and was boiling water for tea and coffee when he heard a noise from behind him and he turned to see Clarisse standing there, fully dressed in a soft blue sweater and black trousers and smiling almost shyly at him.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked jovially as he set the two cups onto the already set table and she shrugged flippantly as she moved towards the table.

"I guess…. I usually don't sleep well in strange beds…"

"Why do you think I suggested you have my bed?"

"…But last night… I slept very well. Thank you. And you? Did you sleep well?"

"Just as well as you did," he fibbed lightly as he brought the steaming teapot to the table before filling his mug with hot water and then returning to the kitchen.

"Actually, I slept much better than I do back at the palace."

"Maybe you're going to have to relocate here and commute to work," she joked lightly as she slid into her seat and reached for her cup.

"I don't think so… are you trying to get rid of me?" he teased gently as he sat down opposite her and took his own mug and sipped it.

"No, never… but if you're more comfortable here…"

"I'll be comfortable no matter where I am, just as long as you're comfortable," he gave her a significant look and she blushed and looked down at her mug.

"You place too much importance on my life."

"No… I place just enough importance on your life," he contradicted sharply. "Never put yourself down like that… and I'm sure that there would be quite a few people who would agree with what I'm saying."

"Fine, fine, fine," she said before she looked back up at him. "We're going to have to go back to the palace today, aren't we?"

"Yes… I believe that you're due back at the palace at two, if not earlier…"

"Why…?" she began before she closed her eyes in disgust. "Oh no, I've just remembered why…"

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"I have a session of parliament…."

"Ohhhh…how fortunate for you… now I'm assuming that you're going to try and beseech me to stay an extra day…" he teased.

"No," she smiled at him with a twinge of regret in her voice and smile. "It's time to go back."

0

Once breakfast was over (and they cleaned up together, just 'to get things moving', Joseph joked although he suspected that Clarisse, despite her glamorous life, appreciated the simple things in life and that included even a normal domestic chore such as wiping up), there was a different atmosphere as Joseph doused the fire out (although he knew that his other team would come out to check on everything once they had left, he assumed that Clarisse would have arranged that) and Clarisse collected her small suitcase from the bedroom.

"I wasn't sure whether you wanted me to strip the bed or make the bed… so I just made the bed up again."

"It's fine, I'm sure your little fairies will come out and check on the place once we're gone," he said teasingly and she blushed.

"I…"

"It's fine," he repeated as he titled her chin up so that she was looking at him. "Really. Besides," he added as he collected his own belongings from the corner of the room and opened the front door for her as, simultaneously, he switched off the lights. "I have a surprise for you… it's your turn this time."

"What?" she turned on the step to look at him. "What surprise for me?"

"You'll just have to wait a few minutes for that…" he gave her a cheeky wink before, after ensuring that the front door was locked, he took both suitcases to the boot of the car and, after opening it, tossed them inside.

"So? Are you going to tell me what my surprise is?" she stood beside the front passenger seat door and he grinned before he tossed something at her. She was surprised but caught it easily before looking down at her hands and realising what she was holding- the palace car keys.

"Joseph…?"

"What?"

"I thought… I wasn't allowed…."

"You do still have a licence, you're just restricted in your driving because of safety issues, I never said you weren't allowed."

"But in San Francisco…."

"That wasn't the best idea- two unlicensed drivers on the streets of San Francisco- but this is different."

"How so?" she challenged, although she was more than a little pleased that he was actually going to let her do this, even for a couple of miles.

"I will be with you," he smiled almost angelically at her and she laughed back at him.

"Alright… but I'll warn you that my driving skills are a little rusty… and that's not my fault!" Clarisse said as she strolled around the driver's side of the car and Joseph chuckled as he opened her door for her.

"Who's fault is it, then? Surely not mine."

"No… not completely… more like the palace protocols that dictate my life… but this should be fun…"

"Good luck," he gave her a quick smile before he closed the door behind her.

0

"How do you think I went?" Clarisse inquired half an hour later when Joseph indicated that she should pull over and they swapped seats.

"Not bad, not bad at all."

"You have to remember that I haven't been driving in quite a few years…" she protested.

"And while that is demonstrated in the last half an hour, you still are quite an alert driver," he said as he turned the car back onto the road.

"But…."

"Not buts."

"But… do you think I'll be able to continue driving?"

"On occasion, but not necessarily in Pyrus or around the palace area…"

"Of course not… but you're going to let me drive on occasion?" she almost sounded timid and he looked over at her.

"It would mean that much to you?"

"Yes. I know that I don't have many opportunities to drive- and most of the time I rather prefer not to drive- but there are times… driving is a sign of my independence, and while…."

"I understand, and yes you can drive on occasion, you don't need to ask my permission for that… just as long as you're not alone when you're driving."

"Are you going to let me drive with Mia?" she gave him a sidelong glance and he couldn't resist snorting.

"That… I'm not quite sure about… we'll see."

0

The rest of the trip seemed to fly by and they both sighed almost regretfully once they turned into the palace driveway and the palace came into view.

"Home again," Joseph said almost jovially and Clarisse agreed, trying to maintain the jovial tone.

"Home again."

"At least you have a little time before your session of parliament to change and have some lunch," he said encouragingly and she sighed again.

"Lucky me. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"I believe that you have to apologise to your men when you get into the security hub."

"Mmmm," he hummed, sounding non-committal.

"It's true… and you know that, Joseph," she said and he looked sidelong at her.

"Yes, you're right, I know that."

"And… what else do you have to do?"

"From now on… I'm going to delegate more."

"Good… and?"

"Take holiday time when necessary."

"And?"  
"Come and see you when I feel a little out of control… particularly when I get jealous seeing other men touching you….I'm getting jealous now, just thinking about it."

"It's part of my job, Joseph," Clarisse reminded him softly.

"I know, I know, I know," he grumbled then gave her a sidelong glance again, but this time, he was smiling.

He didn't get out of the car straight away when they pulled their car to a stop, much to Clarisse's surprise- she had half expected him to get out of the car immediately, eager get back to work- but, then again, his reluctance was understandable… and she had to admit that she was reluctant as well… but they would only have a leeway of a few minutes before Charlotte and some of the security team would come to greet them.

"Joseph?"

"Mmmm?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said simply, turning to face her. "Thank you for yesterday and today," he reached over and cupped her cheek gently with one hand. "I know I've been saying it all day but I do truly appreciate what you… and Scott… did for me."

"I know," she said gently, enjoying the touch of his hand on her cheek- not even Rupert had touched her cheek so gently, so tenderly… "I would be more than happy to do it again for you, anytime."

"As would I."

"And remember," she added hastily, seeing the palace doors open and Charlotte step out as Joseph dropped his hand abruptly. "I will always be here if you need to talk… or kiss," she added with a coy smile. "But now," she added briskly as she unbuckled her seat belt and moved to open the door. "You have some work to do with your security team."

0

Joseph was feeling slightly apprehensive as he stepped into the security hub after depositing his bag in his room (and seeing Clarisse… Her Majesty… disappear upstairs to get changed for the rest of her day), an unusual feeling for him but he knew that he had done the wrong thing and he had to apologise.

The room was almost empty, aside from the usual people who were observing the television screens that covered every inch of the palace, but Scott was sitting at the head of the table, reading the paper.

"Ah…" Joseph cleared his throat and Scott set the paper down as the other two men turned away from the television screens.

"Hey, Joe! Did you have a great day away from the palace?"

"Yes, I but…."

"No need to thank me, it was something that needed to be done and you needed a break…"

"I'm sorry….you didn't deserve my bad mood and you definitely didn't deserve what I did the day before yesterday…"

"Well, I have to admit that that meeting didn't go quite as expected but… hey, at least we didn't have our meeting that day."

"But we will be having it tomorrow," Joseph said in a stronger voice as he sat down opposite Scott and the other two men turned back to the television screens.

"Aww…" Scott pretended to sound disappointed but he was relieved that he looked and sounded much more relaxed, the pressure had obviously been getting to him, but now that he had had that day off… hopefully things would improve…"

"As for the additional plans…"

"That had nothing to do with me, Boss," Scott shook his head definitely. "That as all Her Majesty's idea, not mine…"

"And you agreed with it?" but he didn't sound too irritated- he was just intrigued to find out how Clarisse had gotten around Scott with that idea.

"Come on, Joe, you know that she can be very persuasive when she wants to be…."

"And you didn't want to say no to her, I get it," Joseph finished with a grin.."

"So… back to work now?"

"Back to work," he affirmed.

"But, Joe? If you get like that again… take a day off! Promise me!"

"I promise," Joseph grinned back, glad for the day but glad to be back.


End file.
